So Sorry for Your Loss
How I Learned to Live with Grief, and Other Grave Concerns
by Dina Gachman
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
Since losing her mother to cancer in 2018 and her sister to alcoholism less than three years later, author and journalist Dina Gachman has dedicated herself to understanding what it means to grieve, healing after loss, and the ways we stay connected to those we miss. Through a mix of personal storytelling, reporting, and insight from experts and even moments of humor, Gachman gives readers a fresh take on grief and bereavement—whether the loss is a family member, beloved pet, or a romantic relationship. No one wants to join the grief club, since membership comes with zero perks, but So Sorry for Your Loss will make that initiation just a little less painful.
In the spirit of Elizabeth Kubler Ross books like On Grief and Grieving, or C.S. Lewis's A Grief Observed, So Sorry for Your Loss is the perfect gift for someone who is grieving. With her blend of personal experiences, expert advice, and just a little bit of humor, Gachman has provided a compassionate and compelling resource for anyone looking for grief books.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
April 11, 2023 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781454947615
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781454947615
- File size: 907 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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January 30, 2023
Journalist Gachman (Brokenomics) delivers a poignant, personal exploration of grief. After the author lost her mother to cancer and her sister to alcoholism in the span of two years, she was forced to acknowledge that “grief would become part of me, instead of something I had to conquer.” Gachman gets up-close to the emotional vagaries of loss, recounting how, after her mother’s death, she’d find herself crying during a Geico commercial one moment, and emotionally numb the next. Both reactions are normal, she writes, as “grief, like life, doesn’t always have to make sense.” Elsewhere, she discusses how finding reminders of the dead in one’s daily life can “keep the love we felt and feel” alive, considers the value (and limitations) of seeking psychological help, and lays out small ways to help others in mourning. Gachman perceptively puts words to the uncomfortable realities of loss—“Death was not glorious and wondrous... it was a blunt object, lurking in the corner”—and deconstructs its social myths, helping readers feel less alone. Those facing loss will find solace here. -
June 10, 2024
With its punny title and casserole cover, journalist Gachman's book promises a wry take on death and grieving. It's primarily a collection of autobiographical essays rather than self-help (Gachman admits that she doesn't have a plan for getting over grief), but the author nevertheless sprinkles in helpful hints (express honest sympathy, not platitudes) along with statistics; historic anecdotes (court members of both Queens Elizabeth I and II are mentioned); formal studies (a 2017 Kaiser Family hospice care opinion poll; a Census Bureau community survey); journal citations; quotes from experts; songwriters and lyrics; pop culture references; and even comforting recipes. The result is poignantly honest and often morbidly amusing but overall a peripatetic mishmash. Perhaps the hodgepodge is the point: grieving is, after all, nonlinear, enigmatic, and individualized. VERDICT Readers looking for how-to practical advice should look elsewhere. However, if read as autobiography or possibly even humorous essays, Gachman's book delivers an offbeat offering of comfort, laughter, and peace by sharing how she is living with grief. Includes notes and suggested resources.--Rita Baladad
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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