Grief book recommendations

[YouAfterMe]

I’m a bit ‘worried about me’.

Becoming very spaced out. Not sad - but a bit not there.

Can folk recommend good books about grief to read at the start of your bereavement journey? To give me other people’s words to work with these emotions - rather than getting stuck in this unsettling dissociative state.

Fiction or non-fiction.

A Grief Observed (C.S Lewis), Grief Works (Julia Samuel), This Too Shall Pass (Julia Samuel).

Grief Observed is concise; the other two are written by a therapist who uses case studies to make you feel less alone, as well as tips on how to cope.

"Coping With Grief" by Mal and Dianne McKissock

A superb and concise book giving advice both for bereaved and their friends. I was given a copy by Donate Life when my DH was put on the donor pathway. It goes from getting the news, to a year later. It is particularly good on when certain expressions of grief require professional intervention.

What I would like is something that deals with years after: not that I think I should be "over it", just to read it talked about.

The CS Lewis "A Grief Observed" is outstanding about the early days but I tuned out on the God bits. He writes about it well, but it's not for me. I still have a copy, though.

"How We Die" by Sherwin Nuland, while not about grieving, is a book I found comforting when bereaved before my DH. Indescribably good.

Lastly this, very recent and the most uplifting and life-affirming writing I've read for ages:

www.theguardian.com/society/2020/sep/09/elliot-dallen-family-thank-readers-for-huge-response-to-his-articles

Follow the links and commentaries., Dallen's writing is cogent and vital, and the comments illuminating

So very sorry for your loss, YouAfterMe

'The Year of Magical Thinking' by Joan Didion is helping me 3 months after my wife died.

Griefcast is a podcast so not a book but has some lovely interviews with people sharing their experiences of grief.

I agree that the whole “learning to live with it” in the long term is just as hard as getting to grips with the initial rawness of it all.

Hello there. I know this post is a few years old, and I hope you've been doing OK in the time since. In case it's of help to you or anyone else reading this, we're a grief support charity, and we regularly write about books for grief here 👉 thelossfoundation.org/books-for-grief/

Sorry for your loss.

I would highly recommend this book especially in the early stages. Its only short but very practical and comforting as it explains what you and your body are going through and why as well as warning you of likely difficult times ahead. It really helped me and is written in an 'easy to take in' way which is good as it's hard to focus on anything in the initial shock phase.

Highly highly recommended.

Coping with Grief 5th Edition (Paperback)
Dianne McKissock (author), Mal McKissock (author)

https://www.waterstones.com/book/coping-with-grief-5th-edition/dianne-mckissock/mal-mckissock/9780733339578

I haven't read it yet but a friend gave me You are not alone by Cariad Lloyd after my dad died earlier this year. She writes about her grief over the 25 years since here Dad died. She does the Griefcast podcast and her Dad died when she was a teenager.