Figuring Grief

Karen Smythe's theoretical study is concerned largely with the works of two of the best short story writers in the English language Mavis Gallant and Alice Munro. Although Gallant and Munro have received increasing attention in recent years, most critics have taken a general approach to their works, usually discussing the themes of memory and loss. In contrast, Smythe focuses specifically on the importance of elegy in these fictions and on the role the reader plays in reading them.

In this groundbreaking new work, David Kessler—an expert on grief and the coauthor with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross of the iconic On Grief and Grieving—journeys beyond the classic five stages to discover a sixth stage: meaning. In 1969, Elisabeth Kübler Ross first identified the stages of dying in her transformative book On Death and Dying. Decades later, she and David Kessler wrote the classic On Grief and Grieving, introducing the stages of grief with the same transformative pragmatism and compassion. Now, based on hard-earned personal experiences, as well as knowledge and wisdom earned through decades of work with the grieving, Kessler introduces a critical sixth stage. Many people look for “closure” after a loss. Kessler argues that it’s finding meaning beyond the stages of grief most of us are familiar with—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—that can transform grief into a more peaceful and hopeful experience. In this book, Kessler gives readers a roadmap to remembering those who have died with more love than pain; he shows us how to move forward in a way that honors our loved ones. Kessler’s insight is both professional and intensely personal. His journey with grief began when, as a child, he witnessed a mass shooting at the same time his mother was dying. For most of his life, Kessler taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about end of life, trauma, and grief, as well as leading talks and retreats for those experiencing grief. Despite his knowledge, his life was upended by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son. How does the grief expert handle such a tragic loss? He knew he had to find a way through this unexpected, devastating loss, a way that would honor his son. That, ultimately, was the sixth state of grief—meaning. In Finding Meaning, Kessler shares the insights, collective wisdom, and powerful tools that will help those experiencing loss. Finding Meaning is a necessary addition to grief literature and a vital guide to healing from tremendous loss. This is an inspiring, deeply intelligent must-read for anyone looking to journey away from suffering, through loss, and towards meaning.

In this remarkable book, John Welshons weaves together his own personal awakening with those of others he’s counseled to create a deeply felt and beautifully expressed primer on dealing with grief. Grieving, says Welshons, offers a unique opportunity to develop deeper and fuller life experiences, to embrace pain in order to open the heart to joy. Written for those who have experienced any kind of loss — death, divorce, or disappointment — this book offers reasonable, reassuring thinking on dealing with the death of loved ones and ourselves, finding the inner gifts that promote healing, and much more. Awakening from Grief takes a rare and compelling positive look at a subject needlessly viewed as one of the most negative in life. This is a persuasive primer on drawing the joy out of grief.

Explaining the important difference between grief and mourning, this book explores every mourner's need to acknowledge death and embrace the pain of loss. Also explored are the many factors that make each person's grief unique and the many normal thoughts and feelings mourners might have. Questions of spirituality and religion are addressed as well. The rights of mourners to be compassionate with themselves, to lean on others for help, and to trust in their ability to heal are upheld. Journaling sections encourage mourners to articulate their unique thoughts and feelings.

Dealing with grief can be difficult at the best of times. It is important to understand what grief is all about and how to tackle it head on rather than letting it simmer under the surface for long periods. C.S Hickman takes a glance at the best approach for dealing with grief in a medically sound manner to ensure it does not consume your life forever.

Margaret Laurence's much admired Manawaka fiction - The Stone Angel, A Jest of God, The Fire-Dwellers, A Bird in the House, and The Diviners – has achieved remarkable recognition for its compassionate portrayal of the attempt to find meaning and peace in ordinary life. In Writing Grief, Christian Riegel argues that the protagonists in these books achieve resolution through acts of mourning, placing this fiction within the larger tradition of writing that explores the nuances and strategies of mourning. Riegel's analysis alludes to sociological and literary antecedants of the study of mourning, including the tradition of elegy, from Derrida and Lacan to Freud, van Gennep, and Milton. The "work" of mourning is necessary to move from a state of emotional paralysis to one of acceptance and active engagement. Laurence's characters "perform the work of mourning ... returning over and over again to the key issues relating to loss," and, as Riegel's close examination of the texts suggests, are changed thereafter fundamentally and significantly. As an important study of one aspect of Laurence's oeuvre, Writing Grief not only illustrates how Laurence's own preoccupations with mourning are figured, but also how different ways of working through grief result in renewed potential for consolation and connection, and "a renewed definition of self."

This work includes a foreword by John D Morgan, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Coordinator for Kings College Center for Education about Death and Bereavement, Ontario, Canada. This practical resource guides the reader though all aspects of the grieving process and offers thought-provoking and inspirational advice on support. With exercises, tips, and contacts for further assistance, "Finding a Sacred Oasis in Grief" provides a comprehensive understanding of this potentially difficult and complex topic. It examines different types of grief and various approaches, along with reference guides to particular religions and their traditions adopting a comprehensive, multi-faith approach. Pastoral care providers and religious leaders will find the unique, hands-on approach invaluable, as will members of support organisations and volunteer carers. It is also ideal for seminary and ministry students, counsellors, therapists and other care professionals. "Gives caregivers the tools to help dying and grieving persons face the best and worst that life has to offer. It is the worst, because death means the end of the attachments that make life worthwhile. It is the best, because it shows us what is truly meaningful and important in life. Mortality is a great gift if we have the knowledge and the courtesy to face it." - John D Morgan, in the Foreword.

Grief, Identity and the Arts addresses the interplay between grief and identity in a broad range of artistic disciplines, historical periods, and geographical areas.