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Best Books on Grieving the Loss of a Parent

These are books which we have personally read and believe to be useful and positive, or which have been recommended to us by our network of grief professionals.  We hope you will also let us know about any books which you have found to be of comfort.  You can tell us about them below by filling in the form. 


Motherless Daughters by Hope Edelman

This highly recommended book is primarily for daughters who lost their mothers at an early age. The author discusses how losing a mother can affect many different aspects of life.  As she has grown older the author has added to the book, as her experience has revealed more about the long term effects of such a bereavement. 

Below you can also see a workbook which has been written to accompany this book, so that daughters can work through their grief to aid healing.  

Motherless Daughters by Hope EdelmanClick to Look Inside

A Mother Loss Workbook by Diane Hambrook and Gail Eisenberg

The authors of this helpful workbook were inspired by Hope Edelman's book above to create activities to help with the self-expression of grief. 

We have talked on this site about the importance of working through your grief in whatever way suits your own creativity in Expressing Grief.  No two people will approach this book in the same way, but will be guided and inspired into ways of coping through expressing their feelings in their own individual style. 

A Mother Loss WorkbookClick to Read Reviews and Order

The Orphaned Adult: Understanding And Coping With Grief And Change After The Death Of Our Parents by Alexander Levy 

Dr Levy is a psychologist and has tackled a subject which not many have written about - the death of our parents when we are adults.  After all, it is expected and happens to everyone, right?  So we should be able to cope with it. 

Of course we all know it is more complicated than that.  Even as we manage to carry on with our lives, there are many subtle changes that occur.  I (Lesley) was really shocked to discover that I now had to be the responsible one, that I didn't have a parent to validate and help me make major decisions any longer. Everyone will experience the loss of their parents in slightly different ways, and this book helps us to understand what those might be.  

This book has had excellent reviews and it's popularity is perhaps testament to the fact that maybe we don't all acknowledge just how hard it is to lose our parents at whatever age. 

The Orphaned Adult by Alexander LevyRead Reviews and Order Here

Daddy, This is It - Being with my Dying Dad - Julie Saeger Nierenberg. 

Julie writes about her father's bravery in the face of his own death and how he helps his family come to terms with his dying of cancer.  

You can read Julie's own article on our site about her experiences when she lost her Dad and why she wrote the book.   Or click on the book to go straight to Amazon to see reviews. 

Daddy this is it - Being with my Dying Dad by Julie Saeger NierenbergBuy Now
Julie Saeger Nierenberg

Do you have a helpful book on grief to recommend?

If you have read a book about loss of parents which has given you comfort or helped you, we'd be really grateful if you'd tell us about it here. Whether it was autobigraphical, or written by a grief professional, please do share. Don't forget to give us the full title and author of the book and tell us why you found it useful. Many thanks for sharing with us.

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see book recommendations from other visitors to this page...

Healing After the Loss of Your Mother 
I lost my mom December 28, 2020. This was the best book I purchased out of a handful off Amazon. I was unable to focus or sit and read anything other …

Click here to write your own.

RElated Pages: 

Coping with the Loss of a Parent

More Books on Grief




Where to get help: 

Have You Considered One-on-One Online Grief Counseling? 

Get Expert and Effective Help in the Comfort of Your Own Home

The following information about online counseling is sponsored by 'Betterhelp' but all the opinions are our own. To be upfront, we do receive a commission when you sign up with 'Betterhelp', but we have total faith in their expertise and would never recommend something we didn't completely approve.  

Do you feel alone and sad with no support and no idea how to move forward?  It can be tough when you are stuck in grief to find the motivation to get the most out of your precious life. 

Online counseling can help by giving you that support so you don't feel so alone. You can have someone to talk to anytime you like, a kind and understanding person who will help you to find meaning in life again, to treasure the memories of your loved one without being overwhelmed and to enjoy your activities, family and friends again.

Woman Crying. Get Started with Online CounsellingClick here to receive 20% off your first month. Exclusive to GriefandSympathy readers.

Sales from our pages result in a small commission to us which helps us to continue our work supporting the grieving.  

Hypnosis for Grief - 10 Ways It Can Help You

Try a gentle hypnotherapy track to relax the mind. Learn how self-hypnosis can help you cope with grief at any time of the day or night.  

Read more about it here. 

For Remembrance: 

Sales from our pages result in a small commission to us which helps us to continue our work supporting the grieving.  

Heart Shaped Sterling Silver Pendant for Cremation Ashes, Engraved Forever Loved

Memorial Jewelry to Honour a Loved One

Check out our lovely range of memorial jewelry for any lost loved one.  Pendants, necklaces, rings or bracelets, we have them all in all kinds of styles.  Choose for yourself or buy as a sympathy gift. 

Click here to see our selection

Create an Online Memorial Website

Honour your loved one with their own memorial website.  Share photos, videos, memories and more with your family and friends in a permanent online website.  Free for basic plan with no ads. 

Find out more here. 

For USA Residents: 

Please help our colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA by joining in their research study:



SUPPORT FOR BEREAVED PARENTS

Parent Support Study Logo

Losing a child to cancer is devastating, and there is a critical need to develop effective supports.

A federally-funded study in the United States (US) evaluating different types of support for bereaved parents is currently seeking participants. Parents residing in the US may be eligible if they lost a child diagnosed with cancer at least 6 months ago and live in one of the following states: NY, NJ, PA, CT, FL, or TN (other eligible states are being added, please complete the survey to check with us).

To find out if you may be eligible, please click here, visit our website at bereavedparentsupportstudy.com, or email us at parentstudy@mskcc.org.

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Our free downloadable and printable document "The 10 Most Important Things You Can Do To Survive Your Grief And Get On With Life" will help you to be positive day to day.  

The 10 points are laid out like a poem on two pretty pages which you can pin on your fridge door to help you every day! 

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NEW BONUS - Also receive a copy of our short eBook - '99 Ways to Spot a Great Grief Counselor'.  Available for instant download as soon as you sign up. Never waste money on poor counseling again! 

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