Books - Death of a Child
Remembering: The Death of a Child (Paperback)
by Robert R. Thompson (Author) "Saturday, April 8, 1989, seemed like an ordinary day..." (more)
Remembering: The Death of a Child is a personal account of a family's tragic loss of their eighteen year old son in a freakish traffic accident. Following the narrative of the accident, and the shock and sorrow it visited upon the family, the author offers words of support and healing as well as words of hope and inspiration. A chapter on The Compassionate Friends details the importance of sharing tragedy in the group setting. At the end of the book a section on grief resources provides contact information for The Compassionate Friends as well as other resources for bereaved parents.
by Christine O'Keefe Lafser (Author) "Ann loved to swing on the swings and play in the sandbox in the backyard..."
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by Ellen Mitchell (Author), Carol Barkin (Author), Audrey Cohen (Author), Lorenza Colletti (Author), Barbara Eisenberg (Author), Barbara Goldstein (Author), Madeline Perri Kasden (Author), Phyllis Levine (Author), Ariella Long (Author), Rita Volpe (Author) "We were studies in contrast in those early months..." (more)
Each of the nine mothers who contributes to this short but eloquent volume lost a child who was in his or her teens or 20s, just beginning to fulfill the promise of their brief lives. The mothers found solace by coming together and sharing their pain: as Rita Volpe writes in an opening poem, "Together we have found new ways to live and love and remember the life." Here they share what they've learned for other parents experiencing a similar tragedy, offering concrete advice and emotional reassurance (despite what the culture tells us, there is no closure, writes Cohen in her introduction-but there is a chance to enjoy life again). These bereaved mothers discuss frankly the force of their rage and guilt; the impact of the loss of a child on their marriages (their inability to have sexual relations, the difficulty of coming out of their own pain enough to acknowledge that of their husbands); and their ways of coping. Bereaved parents will find comfort, sympathy and support in this powerful, honest sharing of one of life's most painful experiences.
by Judith R. Bernstein (Author) "The sun rises in the east..." (more)
Bernstein argues that parents don't recover from the death of a child so much as they adapt to it, forever altering the way they think and act--often with negative consequences. To provide some understanding of this complex situation, she interviewed 55 parents whose children had died. This research, plus her own experiences (Bernstein's son died when he was 25), allows her to examine the various stages of grief, the mourning process, the effects on family and social relationships, and the emotional differences between facing a sudden death (such as a murder) and an anticipated death (such as a terminal illness). She also probes the different ways men and women tend to mourn. This can cause problems, especially when a husband's comparative reticence makes a wife believe that he's relatively unaffected by the death of their child. Compassionate and revealing, it should aid both mental-health professionals and parents dealing with this kind of devastating loss. Brian McCombie --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
The Bereaved Parent (Paperback)
by Harriet Sarnoff Schiff (Author)
Schiff writes for everyone, regardless of faith or lack of faith, defining and clarifying the issue of how to deal with this kind of devastating bereavement. She puts the pain in perspective, acknowledging the difficulties it causes in relationship to a variety of subjects: To family and friends, the funeral, guilt, anger, communication, religion, marriage, siblings, pleasure, functioning and the all-important "rest of your life."
by Anne McCracken (Author), Mary Semel (Author) "The forty-year-old woman squeezed the last suitcase into her car trunk, got into the driver's seat, and reached back to check her son's seat belt..." (more)
The grief felt by a parent following a child's death is the theme of this book, edited by two mothers who share that unfortunate experience. As a cathartic exercise, McCracken and Semel assembled articles and excerpts-some fiction, some nonfiction-that featured the death of a child. They have also written a brief introduction to each chapter, describing a different stage of the grieving process and how it affected their lives.
The book contains a remarkable miscellany of emotionally charged literature by the likes of Melville, Frost, Shelley, Irving and Shakespeare. Each selection describes bereavement in a different way, lending credence to the editors' belief that no one can claim to understand another person's particular loss or its effects. The excerpted literature is of impeccable quality, as are the sentiments behind each piece. What's more, the editors' introductions to each chapter convey intense emotion sans the maudlin trappings that characterize many a self-help book. This book does not seek to instruct the reader on how to cope with grief, it merely shares the eloquence of those who have been there before. Highly recommended. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
by Sandy Goodman (Author).
It's never comfortable to read, or even think, about grief. And Love Never Dies is many things--eloquent, sweet, touching, and powerful--but it is definitely not an easy read. Sandy Goodman has taken brave steps past Kübler-Ross's work (On Death and Dying), and here she challenges us to open ourselves to a different set of stages that she labels numbness, unrelenting pain, searching, and reinventing. She writes with comforting openness about pretending that she was progressing through the standard stages, was "getting over" the death of her son, and was searching for a more clearly defined faith. She also is frank about the real need to continue acknowledging birthdays as well as the anniversary of death, and provides a few specific suggestions for friends to help those going through grief, such as asking, "How are you really doing since [he] died," instead of merely, "How are you?"
by Barbara D. Rosof (Author) "Patrick was fifteen, and he savored every moment of his summer..." (more)
From Publishers Weekly
Each week some 1900 American families are faced with the death of a child-allegedly the most harrowing of losses. Research shows that the grief of parents lasts longer and is more intense than any other. Here, Rosof, a California psychotherapist who works with bereaved families, offers compassionate advice to help parents cope. After describing the many ways children (including adult children) die, she explains why grieving is crucial to recovery, how the partners' relationship may be affected and the ways surviving siblings grieve. She also shows parents how to break down psychological barriers that hinder necessary grief work and prevent full recovery. In perhaps the most enlightening-as well as painful-part, families tell of their children's deaths and their aftermath. Included is a list of national organizations that support bereaved parents. Author tour.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
by Catherine Sanders (Author) "Bereavement following the death of a child is more intense than any other form of grief..." (more)
In How to Survive the Loss of a Child, Dr. Sanders, a bereaved parent herself, offers grieving parents practical help and emotional support. This book also helps family members, friends, and caregivers relate to grieving parents and aids them, too, in understanding the process of healing through grief.
After the Darkest Hour the Sun Will Shine Again: A Parent's Guide to Coping with the Loss of a Child (Paperback)
by Elizabeth Mehren (Author) "What do you say when a child dies?..." (more)
Elizabeth has captured so much in this poignant book of help for when a child has died. Bereaved parents can fully relate to the feelings of sorrow and despair and yet gain comfort from knowing that others have continued to live on in spite of the 'worst loss'. This is a book all bereaved parents should own. The chapters are short, the writing style easy to read and the pages packed with hope.
Gone but Not Lost: Grieving the Death of a Child (Paperback)
by David W. Wiersbe (Author)
A thoughtful gift for a family-Christian or non-Christian-that has experienced the death of a child. Brief chapters help parents face sorrow, guilt, and anger.
by Ann K. Finkbeiner (Author) "I have a mental picture of myself in my twenties, standing on a hillside talking to a neighbor, with my four-year-old son wandering somewhere behind..."
A book that explores our own resilience in the midst of one of the most distressful forms of human suffering, the death of a child. Because children aren't supposed to die, the loss is not only painful but profoundly disorienting. Finkbeiner, whose only child died in 1987, refers to her own experience and the experience of others to show that while bereaved parents can never really let go, they can and do recover, often developing a new appreciation for their own lives. Says one parent: "You just don't treat life as lightly, and if you don't treat things lightly, they do become richer." --This text refers
by Elaine E. Stillwell (Author)
Elaine Stillwell, mother of two young adults killed in a car accident 15 years, ago has spent many years since as the Bereavement Coordinator of the Diocese of Rockville Center, N.Y. In Death of a Child she offers support and advice to parents dealing with the whole spectrum of loss: children who die suddenly, after extended illness, before or soon after birth, and even death that involves war on terrorism. Topics include anger with God, communicating with a spouse, voicing emotions, and coping with holidays and anniversaries. Stillwell does a good job addressing specific issues for each of these losses.
by Ronald Snyder (Author)
For the Parents, Siblings, Family members, and close friends who have come to known the overwhelming sadness after the loss of a child, the road ahead will prove to be the most difficult travel of a life time, knowing your lives have changed forever. Within this book, the authors kind and impathetic ways will hold a promise that everyone will quickly discover, that first, you're not alone, secondly, that we will recover with a new perception as all will ask the number one question "WHY". Grief will begin to evolve to a healthier self. The daily responsibilities will become less problematic as each and everyone we be reminded that you life must continue, all you need do is look within the eyes of a loved one; there you will recognize that there are so many others who will need you, depend on you for support, and guidance. The same guidance the author relates by providing you with the tools to dissect your human emotions, and then into faith and healing.
by Robert J Marx (Author), Susan Wengerhoff Davidson (Author), Suzanne Wengerhoff (Author) "own children is involved, we find it impossible to deal with the mystery, the tragedy, the desolation of death. Our book is an effort to..." (more)
One of the greatest losses that anyone can suffer through is the death of a spouse, parent, or child. "Facing the Ultimate Loss" discusses the difficulties of dealing with the death of your child. The purpose of the book is to try to help the grieving move through such a loss and start regaining their life. It is also a great reference for those who know someone going through such grief and want to understand it better so they can help.
by John S. Munday (Author), Frances Wohlenhaus-Munday (Author) "Grief is a pain you cannot physically touch..."
What Forever Means After the Death of a Child: Transcending the Trauma, Living with the Loss (Paperback)
by Kay Talbot (Author) "Becoming a parent is a life-changing experience..." (more)
This book provides a deep understanding of the life-long evolving bereavement process after a child dies. Ways to embrace life in new, meaningful ways after the trauma of losing a child are explored.
The Death of an Adult Child: A Book for and About Bereaved Parents (Death, Value and Meaning) (Hardcover)
by Jeanne Webster Blank (Author) "In the middle of the journey of this our life, I found myself in a dark wood, for I had lost my way..." (more)
I Have No Intention of Saying Good-bye: Parents share their stories of hope and healing after a child's death (Paperback)
by Sandy Fox (Author)
Five or more years after the death of their children, twenty-five families open their hearts and share stories of courage, hope and their attempts to make sense out of the most unbearable loss of all. What did they do to move on with their lives, to make each day meaningful again, to remember their child? In addition to helping themselves, learn how these parents help others and what advice they give to those still having difficulty living in a world without their child.
by Genesse Bourdeau Gentry (Author)
A very dear friend of mine purchased this book for me after the car accident that took the life of my 19 year old daughter, Amy. The poems in this book were exactely the feelings that I was experiencing. This mother put into words for me what I could not. I read the poems in this book everyday and they give me courage to know that even in the darkest hour there is hope. I would recommend this book to anyone who has suffered the sudden, tragic loss of a loved one.
by Marie Levine (Author) "Every so often, you hear about other people losing their child..." (more)
Book Description
After several years of writing a regular column about the despair, anger and confusion she felt after the death of her only child, Marie Levine weaves the story of her own bereavement into a collection of essays, poems and writings that chronicle her own surviving mother's journey. As a nightmarish reality envelops her, Marie describes the ultimate restoration of hope and healing as she learns to live a whole new life she could never have imagined.
by James W. Angell (Author) "O Susan! is not just a book for bereaved parents..." (more)
by Pat Wittberger (Author), Russ Wittberger (Author)
If you are in need of answers and support after losing your child to a drug overdose, you should read this book. Written by the Wittbergers, parents of Jenny, who died of a drug overdose right before her 21st birthday, it details the devastation one feels at the sudden, unexpected and sad death of one's own child to drugs. Beautifully written with compassion and understanding for this unique type of grief. Since losing my own son of 23 years just 6 months ago to a drug overdose, finding ways to survive and face living the rest of my life without my son has been a moment by moment struggle. This book was a huge help to me.
