Books - Death of a Sibling
by Erika R. Barber (Author)
"Shortly after her twentieth birthday, Andrea became unhealthy..."
Surviving the Death of a Sibling: Living Through Grief When an Adult Brother or Sister Dies (Paperback)
by T.J. Wray (Author) "THE OLD beige afghan rests silently on the top shelf, carefully buried beneath all the other blankets..."
Review
"If you or someone you love has experienced the death of an adult sibling, then buy this book. Wray is a captivating story teller who weaves stories of herself and many other sibling grievers to bring clarity and understanding to the complex process of sibling grief. Insightful, consoling, and filled with helpful, proactive steps designed to help surviving siblings cope with their devastating loss, Surviving the Death of a Sibling is a "must read" for every surviving sibling."
—Tom Golden LCSW, author of Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing and creator of Webhealing.com
by P. Gill White (Author)
“P. Gill White, PhD has done an outstanding job of writing on a much-needed subject within the bereavement community, sibling grief. As siblings sadly are often the “forgotten” grievers when the death of their brother or sister occurs, a book such as this is greatly needed. Dr. White’s insights and experiences as both a bereaved sibling herself and as a sibling grief counselor are sure to be a great help to all who read her book. Bereaved Parents of the USA will definitely be recommending her book as a resource to both our siblings and their parents. -Patricia L. Moser, President Bereaved Parents of the USA www.bereavedparentsusa.org
by Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn (Author) "When I talk to people who have lost a brother or a sister, I start by asking them to tell me their story-from the beginning..." (more)
In 1972, when the author was six, her nine-year-old brother, Ted, developed huge bruises all over his body. Diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare immune deficiency disease, Ted lived in a sterile hospital "bubble room" until his death eight years later. In this beautifully written account, DeVita, a science journalist, describes how Ted's life and death have affected her and, drawing on 77 interviews with others who have lost siblings, examines a subject that has largely been overlooked. DeVita considers survivors, rather than academicians or researchers, to be the real experts on this subject. Many gripping stories are told by brothers and sisters of all ages, including those who have endured the death of a twin. In order to protect their other children and deal with their own grief, many parents, like DeVita's own, did not often discuss the deaths and, in a sense, deprived the surviving siblings of the mourning process. In haunting and evocative narratives, many of those interviewed share how they finally found a way, years later, to acknowledge their terrible loss. DeVita recalls her relationship with the brother who loved and teased her, as well as his bravery during the years of isolation when almost no one touched him. "Meredith," who suddenly lost her beloved teenage brother to cancer, now runs marathons in his memory, among other coping strategies. DeVita recounts the interviews she conducted with her own parents and movingly illuminates the tragic situation of her father, an oncologist, who could not save his own son, and her mother, who found the inner strength do her best for her dying son.
by Anne McCurry (Author)
Grief takes on a uniquely different dimension when trying to come to terms with the loss of a brother or sister; after all, siblings are linked literally from birth to death, unlike any other form of familial relationship. The loss is so deep that it's like a real part of you has died at the same time. "Letters to Sara" is one woman's wrenching attempt to make sense of the basic unfairness of death, and these letters become a vitally necessary form of self-therapy to try to understand all of the "whys." Far from gloomy, however, author Anne's concise insights are sometimes profound, sometimes simplistic and oft-times humorous. Just like life itself.
