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Why Read Books on Death and Grief? 

Some of the best books on death and grief are by those who have suffered a great loss and have personal experience. These can help us to feel less alone and relate to how we are feeling.  

Many other books on grief, bereavement and loss are written by psychiatrists and psychologists and help us understand what is happening to us and find ways to work through our grief. 

Both types of books on death and grief can be of great benefit for many reasons, but first I'd like to relate a story of how a book helped a young woman who was unable to express her grief: 

How a book helped one young girl with her grief

A staff member came to me one day and asked to borrow a book I had among my library of medical and nursing subjects. The book she borrowed was on the loss of a daughter written by the mother. 

As she was a university student working for us during the vacation I thought it was for an assignment. When she returned the book she asked to see me and all her hidden pent up grief was released.

She had gone to university the year before and met her first serious boy friend. He got a vacation job in an abattoir and he picked up an e coli bug and sadly died very quickly.

She had not mentioned it to anyone.  It was her first real confrontation with loss and she wouldn't even talk about it to her parents.  Her mother, also a staff member, came to see me a few days later.  She thanked me as, at last, the grieving process was underway, the young student was talking to them and to her late boyfriend's parents. 

This is an example of how reading about how others have gone through tragic loss and coped can help. We don't feel so alone. 

As a late teen, my staff member was surrounded by university friends having good times. Her isolation and hiding her grief must have been a huge effort. She went on to qualify as a nurse after her university degree and she continued to work with us during all her vacations. I had innocently helped in the early days simply by having a book on bereavement on a shelf. The book was How Far is it to London Bridge by Joan Hurley - for more information see Books on Grief for Parents. 

How Far is it to London Bridge by Joan Hurley, Book Cover

The benefits of books on death and grief

Books on death and grief can certainly help us to come to terms with our mortality and prepare us for the inevitable, as we all lose someone close during our lifetimes.  

When we do suffer a bereavement, reading about how others have come to terms with their losses can be very useful in finding our own way through our grief journey.  It makes us feel less alone, and it's a comfort to know that there are others around who feel the same.  It gives us hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that we can learn to live with our sorrow.  

We have put together a few pages with suggestions for the best grief books for different types of grief.  You'll find the general books for adults and the complete list here.  

We also have a lot of pages with quotes about grief and grief poetry which can also be of great comfort and solace.  



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! 

All you have to do to receive this free document is fill in your email address below. 

You will also receive our newsletter which we send out from time to time with our newest comforting and helpful information.   You can unsubscribe any time you like, and don't worry, your email address is totally safe with us. 

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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