7 MEMOIRS ON GRIEVING

Some find great solace in reading the words of others experiencing grief, while for others it may feel too heavy. If you turn toward books during difficult times, here are seven memoirs written by people processing a great loss. I hope these stories help in making you feel less alone and bring new perspectives to your experience

1. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanathi
   Paul Kalanathi shares his search for meaning in the face of mortality in this beautiful memoir. A neurosurgeon turned patient, Paul was diagnosed with lung cancer toward the end of his residency, and beautifully contemplates life, death, love, family, and how to live a meaningful life, even if you only have months left. 

2. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
   Joan Didion explores her experience of grief in the wake of her husband’s death and the critical illness of her daughter. This introspective and meaningful memoir beautifully captures the layers and complexities of grief.

3. The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs
   Nina Riggs shares her experience living with cancer and facing mortality with grace and humor. She explores how to live each day, "unattached to outcome" and how to approach the moments, big and small, with both love and honesty.

4. So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief, and Other Grave Concerns by Dina Gachman
   Dina Gachman explores what it means to grieve, healing after loss, and the ways we stay connected to those we miss in the wake of the loss of her mother and sister. Weaving together personal experience, expert advice, and a dash of humor, this memoir is both compassionate and compelling resource for anyone navigating grief.

5. The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy
   Ariel Levy shares her experience of the loss of her partner, her baby, and the life she had imagined. She explores what it means to let go of control of the life you had imagined for yourself, and how to begin again in the face of adversity in this honest memoir.

6. It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand by Megan Devine
   Megan Devine shares a profound new approach to both the experience of grief and the way we try to help others who have endured tragedy. From the perspective of personal experience and professional insights as a therapist, Megan writes with deep understanding about the unspoken truths of loss, love, and healing.

7. The Long Goodbye by Meghan O'Rourke
   Meghan O’Rourke offers a heartfelt account of her journey through grief after her mother's death from cancer, exploring the emotional and psychological aspects of mourning.

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