Editorial Review

Socrates believed that we should"always be occupied in the practice of dying" in order to appreciate our living. So imagine thatyou only have one year left to live. What would you do differently? For one year Stephen Levine (also theauthor of Read more

Reviews (15)

HOW TO LIVE EACH MOMENT LIKE YOUR LAST
Yes, in this book the author Stephen Levine shows us how to live each moment like our last-- and no it's not depressing...Stephen really lived like this for a year so it's fascinating to see his take on this philosophy. I often use this in making a major decision-- if this was my last year would I? And even in minor decisions that are bothering me -- should I do this today? I love the titles of his chapters including "ALTARING YOUR LIFE"...plus he offers meditations and a year-long plan... I did not get into that stuff-- which some people may feel is too new age...but I did enjoy the philosophy of this book...I keep it on my bookshelf in a special place for days that are really tough or nights that seem like they will never end :))

moving and helpful even for the non-religious
I'm not a Buddhist or anything else, and I don't often find "spiritual" reading very accessible, as it often strikes me as vague, abstract, and jargon-y.I didn't think this was the best-written book I've ever read--Mr. Levine, please, please, please look up the definition of "enormity" before you write another word--but I nevertheless found the insights unusually moving and helpful in a practical sense.

Finally a Book On Death that is Experiential
Levines book differs from most books on death by providing some experientialexercises so the individual can gain personal insight rather then be directly fed the pre-digested great wisdom of so-called experts on death.This along with some of Sylvia Brownes books and 18 Mortal Acts could be used to learn more about ones own mortality and put it in a personal journal. In addition, Mr. Levine makes some sharp penetrating insights into how people deal or don't deal with death. The exercises he advocates are interesting and well constructed. A valuable book for those actively and openly exploring their mortality and who want to go beyond conforming to ideas from experts. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Death    2. Death, Grief, Bereavement    3. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    4. Meditation    5. Philosophy    6. Psychological aspects    7. Psychology    8. Self-Help    9. Self-actualization (Psychology)    10. Spiritual life    11. Spirituality - General    12. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques    13. Religion / Spirituality   

Editorial Review

Thich Nhat Hanh always invites us to look deeply, and he does so once again in Read more

Reviews (10)

A life changing book
A bold title but accurate. In simple words and sentances Hanh illuminates a different way of looking at the world. Not as us being apart from it, but of it. Opens our minds to see that everything is interconnected. Tutors us is being mindful of this---look at a mug and drink tea but think of how the mug came to be, how the tea came to you. he peppers the book with ways to put its precepts to work.His Big idea: You can't change the world, but you can change how you see it.

A DharmaJewel!
As a student of Advaita Vedanta, I could not be more delighted to come across this eloquently and beautifully written treatise by Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh. At the core of Buddha's teachings lies the Jewel of the Heart Sutra which deals with our Changeless and Original Nature, Emptiness, captured in the phrase "emptiness is form, form is emptiness". Thay takes this rather abstract Buddhist concept andexpounds on its profound wisdom and practical implications in our everyday lives through antecdotal stories, mindfulness practices and guided breathing exercises with pure simplicity and casual ease devoid of the usual metaphysical language accompanying such profound teachings. Perhaps the most practical implication of absorbing Thay's Buddhist message is to connect and abide in our essential Buddha Nature until we are fully absorbed by it, in Realization or Enlightenment. Mindfulness is about being fully Present in the Eternal Moment and from this point of Stillness touching our essential core or the "ultimate dimension". To truly "Be Happy" there is the delusion or "notion" of birth and death to be overcome or transcended. With the Grace and ease of a true Zen Buddhist Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, skillfully guides us on the pathless path without distance back into our Heart, our true Home which in Reality we have never left. This is our true nature, beyond duality, and thus beyond fear. Through various guided exercises, Thay, shows us the illusion of our concepts and reveals the understanding of impermanence, emptiness or "suchness", interbeingness. I found this book extremely helpful in lifting my awareness and consciousness beyond the subtle confines of duality into the "ultimate dimension" beyond the "notions" of birth and death. To touch this Reality is to know the Self beyond the polarities of self and no-self, mind and no-mind, being and non-being. When we truly understand we are not the body, we touch our true Buddha Nature and in this realization lies our true healing and liberation beyond fear. We have arrived, we are Home. In the Ultimate we eternally dwell. OM Mani Padme Hum.

I love this book !
I recommend this book for anyone who has experienced the death of a close, loved one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asian And Oriental Religions    2. Buddhism    3. Buddhism - General    4. Death, Grief, Bereavement    5. Doctrines    6. Religion    7. Religion - World Religions    8. Spiritual life    9. Spirituality - General    10. Body, Mind & Spirit / Spirituality / General   

Reviews (25)

A Must Read for anyone Trying Again after a Loss
If you are trying to conceive again after a loss or even thinking of trying to conceive after a loss, this book is a must read.It provides things to consider in deciding whether or are emotionally and physically ready to try for another pregnancy.It discusses things to expect when trying again and problems you may encounter.I learned alot from this book and wish I had read it after my first loss.It is compassionate, practical and examines both the physical and emotional aspects in trying to conceive after a loss.

They "Get" it!
This book covers all types of loss, and the struggles that we face when trying again after a loss.They understand that losing a child is the most devastating thing a women can go through and that no matter what type of loss you had, whether it was a miscarriage, stillbirth or termination, the grief we feel and the struggles we face when trying again are the same.I am sorry if some feel that this book touches on issues that they do not agree with, but the fact is that women who face a terrible diagnosis and chose to terminate to spare their child's suffering have no less emotions and difficulty with the grief and trying again than the women who loses her child through stillbirth or natural abortion.This is an excellent book for those that are trying to cope with conception after ANY type of loss!

Only Offensive If You've Got Tunnel-Vision
A previous reviewer said "People who have lost children (not by their own choice) might be careful about reading this in that if you are like me, you'll resent being put into the same category as someone who "got rid of" their child. It made me angry and I wanted to shout well I would want my child living no matter what "defect" he may have had."
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Subjects:  1. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    2. General    3. Health & Fitness    4. Health/Fitness    5. Infants (Newborn)    6. Miscarriage    7. Mortality    8. Pregnancy    9. Pregnancy & Childbirth    10. Stillbirth    11. Coping with death & bereavement    12. Pregnancy, birth & baby care    13. Family & Relationships   

Reviews (19)

The BEST resource to grieving parents
This book was BY FAR the best resource I found after my son was stillborn.It is an easy-to-read, practical guide to anyone who has suffered from an infant loss.After reading several other books this summmer, I also found that this book is referred to many times within others.Most support groups offer this book to bereaved parents more than any other.I can now see why.

Awesome!
Sherokee Isle is a master in this book. She has been through it all and really knows her stuff. It helped out my husband and I immensley after our miscarriage.

This book has helped many
Twelve years ago we lost our son Jason to a cord accident a week before our due date.Our hospital had no materials at the time, but the wonderful nurses told us about a conference they had been to with Sherokee and about the book.We went out and got it along with others and "Empty Arms" along with a 2nd book "I'll Hold You in Heaven by Jack Hayford" were the most helpful.We have been supplying both of these books to our hospitals' OB ward and to anyone we know who needs them for 12 years.These books are both wonderfully helpful and comforting at an unimaginably difficult time.I would highly recommend them not just for the parents but for extended family & friends who are trying to help and cope themselves.Thank-you to both authors for helping so many with such a tragic loss. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bereavement    2. Child Care/Parenting    3. Death, Grief, Bereavement    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. General    6. Miscarriage    7. Psychological aspects    8. Stillbirth    9. Women's Health - General    10. Coping with death & bereavement    11. Pregnancy, birth & baby care    12. Separation & divorce   

Reviews (4)

Creative approach to dealing with grief
I work in an Alternative HS and have found that my students who most would think the book looks "corney" have requested copies of the book after looking through it.I like the fact that it addresses issues of anger that the adolescent may have (or may not even realize they have) towards the deceased.I work with high-risk youth and the family dynamics are always so complex.I also like the fact that it addresses changes that the adolescent will have to make and doesn't "sugar coat" things.But, it pays respect to the deceased in a tasteful way, and it is way for the adolescent to write memories/stories he/she might forget. A great book
This is a wonderful Journal for kids.On my first read through I felt it was geared a little more toward 9 to 13 year olds, rather than older teens.However, the content is excellent and the ideas and exercises will really help grieving teens work through the difficult grief process.

An excellent choice for ANYONE suffering a loss.
I ordered this journal for my two teen-aged daughters,both of whom were suffering greatly with the loss of my mother, their grandmother. The book is a wonderful aid in helping them express all the things they were afraidto vocalize. It allows them to write down their thoughts and feelings onsuch subjects as what they were doing when they found out the person haddied, unresolved issues with the person who died and how they would likethem to be resolved now, where they believe their loved one is now, and howthe future will be without the person they love. It allows the teen to seethat they are not alone in their grief, that others have the same thoughtsas they do. I highly reccommend this book to ANYONE who is experiencingloss in their life. It leads you gently through the entire grievingprocess-I can't say enough about how it helped us through a very difficulttime in our lives. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    2. Death, Grief, Bereavement    3. Self-Help    4. Suicide, death & bereavement   

Reviews (25)

Great book for bereaved parents
After our first son was stillborn at 34 weeks, I bought a lot of books hoping to find answers and feel less alone.This was one of the best. At the end of each chapter, there are key points to remember and it also gives suggestions for things you can do. It also makes you feel less "weird" for some of the things you would like to do.Though I wish no parent needed this book, it is a great book if you lost a baby.

Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby
This is a great book. The chapters are very easy to follow and the points to remember at the end of each chapter are great to refer back to whenever you need them. We were in a place we never thought we would be, but this book made us feel we were not alone. Our son was stillborn and it was nice to read what other people felt, because sometimes you think you are going crazy and really you are not.

A "Must Have" for those suffering a loss
After the stillbirth of my baby girl, I was completely lost and devastated.I felt very alone....like nobody understood.Somebody gave this book to me, and it was as if all of my thoughts and emotions were being validated and described perfectly.It guided me through the many difficult questions and decisions that needed to be made, and gave me a true sense of hope for my future.On my daughter's one year anniversary, I purchased several of these books to donate to the hospital to give to other hurting moms who might also suffer such a tragic loss.I would highly recommend this book...to help with the hurting and begin the healing!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adjustment (Psychology)    2. Bereavement    3. Death, Grief, Bereavement    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Life Stages - Infants & Toddlers/Infants    6. Parent and child    7. Perinatal death    8. Psychological Aspects Of Bereavement    9. Psychological aspects    10. Self-Help    11. Coping with death & bereavement    12. Pregnancy, birth & baby care   

Reviews (20)

Preview first - way too graphic for our family
I had intended to use this book to help my 7-year-old but when I previewed it, I found it to be a case of "too much too soon."It appeared the author tried to address every conceivable way a child might encounter death but, for my child, it would have introduced MANY more fears than it alleviated.Many of the illustrations were especially disturbing.Having a child wail "can we keep our house?" as the obituaries float around the picture was too much.Introducing death by substance abuse and suicide was too much.Discussing the donation of eyes to an eye bank or having the word "autopsy" in the glossary was too much.For young children facing death and the grief process for the first time, I would use extreme caution if considering this book.My child would have had nightmares for ages.

First read it yourself, then read it to a child or with a child
I have been using this book for years. I have used it in my capaicity as a social worker leading grief groups for children and I have also used it with my own children after they experienced the loss of their grandfather.The beauty of this book is you need not read it from beginning to end with your child, you can stop and start at the places which apply and skip the parts that don't.What I also like about the book is the illustrations, they are detailed enough to get the points across, but not scary nor frightening.Death is such a mystery to children (and frankly to many adults too), I view this book as a wonderful place from which children and adults can explore loss and their feelings pertaining to death and what might happen after we die.Older kids can read it to younger ones with an adult nearby to also answer questions.What I have done is read the book with a child, then let the child know it may bring up questions and we can talk about them during the time we read the book and certainly any time after as well.
Inappropriate for young kids
I did not like this book at all, and thought it inappropriate for young children. My son kept asking why the children on the playground died, playing "Bang, Bang your dead".(I also don't want my son being taught games about violence.)I did not like suicide being presented as an "option" for hopelessness.Read this book before giving it to a child. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bereavement in children    2. Children and death    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 1-2    5. Death    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Psychological aspects    9. Social Issues - Death & Dying    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Social Situations / Death & Dying    11. Suicide, death & bereavement   

Reviews (6)

Wonderful Story
I purchased this book when it first came out after talking to her husband at his place of business. I got chill talking to him and purchased the book. If you are uncomfortable with this type of book just remember that they were originally referred to a local intuitive (and author), Mary Jo McCabe, by a nun.

Amazing Journey
From the title to the last pages, this book was comforting and a must read for anyone dealing with the loss of a child.It is well-written, funny, and pulls at your heart strings.Thanks Judy and Kyle for sharing your story!

A "Must Read" For Anyone Who Has Lost a Child
I would like to recommend this book, "Quit Kissing My Ashes" by Judy Collier.It is a "Must Read" for anyone who has lost a child.I lost my child in August of 2001.Reading this book convinced me that I was not going "crazy" receiving my "angel" signs from my little Christie.This book only proves that our loved ones are with us all the time, and our signs, no matter what we feel or believe, let us know that our children stay with us, even when they have "crossed over" to the other side.Judy Collier relates to her readers all her signs she and her family have received from her son, Kyle.Judy lets everyone know that there is life after death, and if a person truly believes and lets themselves feel, that these signs will just keep being received by those who have the faith that God's love is truly present at this sorrowful time.I, for one, know this is abosolutely true, even though I admit that my little angel tries to tell her mom to "Get a grip" as maybe I take "signs" a little too far.But, you know, if it makes me feel better, what the heck!!!When a loved one dies, especially your child, a person has to dig really deep and learn so much more.Thank you Judy for writing this much needed book, to let us all know we are not crazy!!!Most importantly, thanks for letting us all realize our children are okay.I believe all parents only want their children's happiness and peacefulness with no worries or pain.Now, I realize my angel and many others have this.So, I tell others, when you see us cry, it is not for Chrisite, but for us who, of course, miss her so deeply.But is she okay??You bet, and I can't wait till our entire family will one day be together again.Read this amazing book and feel your own signs at your time of grief.With faith in God, and listening to your innermost feelings, you too will realize what Judy herself tries to convince others what she has truly felt and come to believe on her amazing journey--our kids live on and they are okay. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit    2. Body, Mind & Spirit / Spiritualism    3. Channeling (Spiritualism)    4. Collier, Judy    5. Family & Relationships / Death, Grief, Bereavement    6. Future life    7. Grief    8. New Age    9. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    10. New Age / Parapsychology    11. Parapsychology - General    12. Spiritualism    13. Spiritualism - General    14. Spirituality - General    15. Body, Mind & Spirit / Spirituality / General    16. Death, Grief, Bereavement    17. Family & Relationships    18. Mothers and sons    19. New Age movement    20. Paranormal   

Reviews (2)

Wonders for my daughter
I got this book from the library for my daughter.It did wonders for her after her boyfriend of 3 years broke up with her without warning.She had lost weight, was going to a counselor, her grades suffered, and she couldn't stop crying.This book helped her more than anything else.She's a very visual person and the book gave her visual exercises to do; and also practical things to do like changing your habits or changing the furniture around.She showed it to the counselor she was going to at college and the counselor liked it so much, she bought it to keep for other students to look at.I had to bring the book back to the library, but my daughter wanted to have a copy of her own, so here I am at Amazon getting her her own copy.This is a great book for anyone going through heartbreak or for anyone who wants to help someone in that situation.

Finally , REAL help
OK the wallowing in misery, self-pity, and denial is SO over.How I loved this book!I have been struggling mightily in a heartbreaking relationship with a really cold man - thinking he was something else, and thinking there were real feelings and a soul in there if I could only peel that onion back one more layer.It just got worse and worse until I hated myself as much or more as I hated him. Obsession, compulsive behavior, self-torture - what a waste of time and life!And who wants to win the "I hate you more" contest anyway?Hate is the worst! Over the years I think I've read every single "breakup recovery" books, some more helpful than others - but most of them have the same advice."Rally your girlfriends, stay busy, excercise more, know it will eventually get better!" Yeah, whatever. The advice helps, but it really just distracts you from the pain, rather than helping you truly heal and throw out the pain for good.What's cool about this book is how it provides tools and excercises (I know, but these are really good tools and exercises.) you can use immediately, anywhere / anytime to change the way you feel and see your situation through visualization and self-hypnosis. It also had very keen insight into human behavior - both yours and others.If you're ready to pick yourself up and really move on, this is the one I would recommend.Good luck! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adjustment (Psychology)    2. Applied Psychology    3. Death, Grief, Bereavement    4. Interpersonal Relations    5. Loss (Psychology)    6. Love & Romance    7. Love / Sex / Marriage    8. Psychology    9. Self-Help    10. Separation (Psychology)    11. Psychology & Psychiatry / Interpersonal Relations   

Reviews (7)

Great author, great book!
This is a very interesting book--after I read it I wanted to read all of Allender's other publications. He is a great author and this book was very hard for me to put down once I started! A great book for any Christian who has ever faced challenges in their life.

Biblical Sufferology
"The Healing Path" traverses the middle ground in biblical sufferology (a theology of suffering). That is, it accurately avoids two common extremes as Christian writers attempt to address suffering: a.) the extreme of staying stuck in the past by blaming the past, b.) the extreme of denying the past by ignoring the past.
Not much to say...
"Don't waste your pain", says the publisher's note on the rear cover of "The Healing Path", a recent offering from the prolific and popular Dan Allender. Allender suggest that life inevitably entails suffering, and that the key is to suffer successfully. Suffering leads to redemption and life, but most suffer pointlessly and unconstructively, not knowing how to suffer properly.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - General    2. Counseling    3. Death, Grief, Bereavement    4. Inspirational - Protestant Self Help    5. Religion    6. Religion - Christian Life    7. Religion / Counseling   

Reviews (42)

Very Helpful
I have recently lost my husband to suicide and have read many books on the subject trying to understand what happened.This book was very helpful because it was not a bunch of psycho-babble and statistics and research. It is the real-life experience of a woman who has been through it.I found myself reading entire passages that described the EXACT feelings I am having.I believe this book would be helpful to anyone who has suffered the devastation of suicide.

If you feel completely lost right now, this is the book to read
This book was recommended to me a week after my partner committed suicide, and it was a lifesaver at a point at which I was crazy with grief and thought I would just go flat-out crazy.It is real, honest, direct, and filled with compassion.It gave me realization that many others had experienced what I was going through and that, even though I could not believe it in my heart, my head could at least believe that there might be hope for coming out of this darkness on the other side.If I ever know a person in the future who loses someone to suicide, this book will be in their hands as quickly as I can get it to them.

Must read if you have lost someone to suicide
this book helps one feel they are not alone, and come to term with some emotions they may be battling.Its a great book full of understanding and wisdom.It bring about knowledge one might not have, and stories of comfort. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Death / Grief / Consolation    2. Death, Grief, Bereavement    3. General    4. Psychology    5. Self-Help    6. Suicide    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / General   

Reviews (7)

AMAZING resource
This book is extremely helpful for anyone going through the pain of miscarriage or infant loss.It is sensitive and wise, it was a God-send to me during one of the darkest periods of my life.

Perfect Gift Book for Grieving Mothers
Looking for one book to give as a gift to a family grieving the death of their baby?This is the one!The hardbound "keepsake" quality of this book, matched with ample journalizing space to document and personalize your own grief journey, beautifully compliment the author's devotional reflections, packed with wisdom and spiritual insights from a mom who's "been there" through loss.
difficult to read
After experiencing a loss recently, I was looking for books to help me during the difficult days that follow. I was looking for more personal experience or scientific info. All of the references to the bible in relation to pregnancy loss just did not make a connection with me. I am a spiritual person, but I just did not find this book very helpful. There are many other books that I found informative and comforting. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Bereavement    3. Children    4. Christianity    5. Death    6. Death, Grief, Bereavement    7. Devotional    8. Family & Relationships    9. General    10. Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality    11. Religious aspects    12. Christian Interest    13. Coping with death & bereavement    14. Family & Relationships / Death, Grief, Bereavement   

Reviews (3)

Well written and easy reading
I'm currently in school for addiction counseling and felt this book would be good to read. It is well written and easy to read, with a lot of good advice. As a counselor in preparation I know I will be having sessions with people who are experiencing suicidal ideation, & while I know this doesn't qualify a person to do suicide assessments it certainly gives a good method for drawing out as much information as possible. It makes me feel a little more comfortable about the job I am going to be doing.

Seminal Text of Suicide Assessment
There are many books on suicidology and even on clinical interviewing, but none combine the two topics in such an effective and practical manner. A REAL "Must-Read" for All Clinicians
Shawn Shea's The Practical Art of Suicide Assessment: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals and Substance Abuse Counselors is one of the most valuable professional texts I have read in the past decade. The bookcombines scholarship, practical guidelines and a literary quality thatrenders it a truly exceptional book in the field.I found the caseexamples used to illustrate clinical problems invaluable; these vignettesbring the theoretical material "alive" in a way that encouragesclinicians from various disciplines and theoretical orientations tomeaningfully incorporate the concepts.Shea elucidates such criticalissues as risk factors and risk predictors in such a way as to makeconstructs that are often reifed once again meaningful.As part of myprofessional responsibilities, I am responsible for training/teachingmental health emergency clinicians aspects of clinical interviewing andsuicide assessment.I have incorporated many of the principles in thisbook into these trainings. The CASE approach to suicidal assessment isperhaps the best approach to this complex task that I have found. Thediscussion on "contracting for safety/no suicide contracts" isrelevant, congruent with current ethical and legal principles, and reflectsthe difficult reality of working with suicidal patients. I regularlyrecommend both this book and Shea's book on psychiatric interviewing toparticipants in the workshops.Read more

Subjects:  1. Assessment, Testing & Measurement    2. Mental Health    3. Psychology    4. Suicide    5. Clinical psychology    6. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / Testing & Measurement   

Reviews (9)

Gift of the Red Bird
Very inspirational.I was totally filled with the Holy Spirit.I think I would like to go on a retreat like that.We have so much to learn.Please try it.

Short but beautiful book . . .
Gift of the Red Bird, a Spiritual Encounter, reads like a journal from Paula D'Arcy's life. On August 18, 1975, on a return trip home to Connecticut, Paula's car was struck by a drunk motorist. Her daughter, Sarah, died of head injuries on August 20, and her husband died three days later from a ruptured spleen. Paula was alive and three months pregnant with her second baby daughter, Beth. For this reason, she went on living.
Gift of th Red Bird
A very good book. It was an excellent testamonial.It is well written.Iplan to use it to finish our year end Bible Study/ ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Christianity - Literature    3. Death, Grief, Bereavement    4. Religion    5. Spirituality - Women's    6. Women    7. Christianity    8. Religion / General   

Reviews (5)

Decent book
What can I say, its a mini version of The Language of Medicine. It has all the terms and test and abbreviations. I have not had a chance to use it yet, but my professor who has been in the field of translation and interpreting for 16 years now, swears by it.Its even a great book to have if you are a native English speaker but cannot understand the medical mumbo-jumbo your doctor is telling you.

Hiddencosts
I do love the book and CD itself, the book is very thorough and has alot of excellent illustrations and reviewing material.I do wish the website services were free and was supported by AOL, but otherwise this is a fantastic book andthank you.
great shortcuts
I found this book to be a very useful tool not only with my classes but also my job in the medical field ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dictionaries & Terminology    2. Medical    3. Medical / Nursing    4. Terminal Care    5. Medical / Dictionaries & Terminology    6. Medicine: General Issues   

Editorial Review

On his deathbed, faced with creditors and unpaid bills, Oscar Wilde said despairingly, "I am dying beyond my means!" If only the poor, beleaguered genius had read this book! None of us gets out of here alive, but reading this book will lessen your fear of the ultimate end and give you some guidance about enjoying your life to the fullest right up until your final moment. Do people really enjoy life in the face of death? People do. The stories of individuals in Dr. Byock's book will move and inspire you to change your feelings about the end of your life, and also your feelings about your life in the present. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Nicely written stories
I have been a certified hospice nurse for many years and have experienced many of the same situations.It is nice to read a well written book that validates the multitude of feelings one experiences in this profession and as a family member of one who is dying.Very enriching reading.

Dignity and Care
When I was quite young, with a pre-teen stepdaughter, my husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was ill for the duration of my stepdaughter's adolescence. I sought vainly for guidance about caring for a loved one whose life is ebbing slowly away. Nobody ever told me a dying person might be angry or might lash out at those with whom he was most close. Now that I've read Dr. Ira Byock's "Dying Well," I understand. According to Dr. Byock, founding member of one of the most extensive hospice and palliative care groups in the United States, those with serious illnesses may lash out from pain, or from a sense that they have lost their dignity, the ability to *do.* Men and women who have devoted their healthy lives to caring more about others than about themselves feel equally angry and often humiliated. Caregivers and patients alike lack vocabulary for the entirely new language--verbal and non-verbal--of dying. Indeed, it may be a language we don't want to learn any more than the seriously ill person wants to face the unknown ahead. From his decades of hospice and palliative care, Ira Byock selects specific family groups to illuminate responses to illness, pain, and death. He details the attitudes, behaviors, and methods to preserve dignity through accurate assessment of discomfort and pain. He shows us how to listen. "Dying well" provides a narrative and vocabulary to ease our linguistic and emotional awkwardness. Byock's book belongs in every medical and home health care facility, counseling office, and home library.

Showing us that death can indeed, be most peaceful
Bravo to Dr. Byock for writing one of thee most beautiful books pertaining to our final journey in life...death.I wish that I had read it before my beloved mom's death because it would have helped both of us greatly in understanding just what the whole death and dying process is all about.
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Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Death    3. Death, Grief, Bereavement    4. General    5. Psychological aspects    6. Psychology    7. Social Science    8. Social aspects    9. Sociology    10. Sociology - General    11. Social Science / Sociology / General   

Reviews (12)

I'll Hold You in Heaven, by Jack Hayford
I have sent this book to a couple of women who have lost infants or had a miscarriage.I myself lost a baby years ago and did not have the privilege of this wonderful and encouraging book.I highly recommend it for mothers who have lost babies and/or who have had miscarriages.
Very helpful book
This book is not all about abortion.The book helped me tremendously.The book explained why our babies are taken from us - that God does not "take" babies because he needs them.
Must Have
I recieved this book after my 3rd pregnancy loss as a companion to a pregnancy loss bible study workbook and I just loved it.It really helped me through the grieving process and guide me to hope through belief in God and heaven that my unborn child is taken care of and one day we will meet.I gained a whole new and healthy perspective on this sad chapter of my life and I believe without reading this book I might not have healed and moved on the way I did. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children    2. Christianity    3. Christianity - Christian Life - General    4. Christianity - Christian Life - Parenting    5. Consolation    6. Death    7. Death, Grief, Bereavement    8. Miscarriage    9. Religion    10. Religion - Relationships    11. Religious aspects   

Editorial Review

When author Bill Bridges's wife died from breast cancer, he began to question all his previous groundbreaking work on transitions. Having conducted seminars and written bestselling books (Read more

Reviews (16)

Emotionally Powerful, Personalized Take on Transitions
William Bridges revisits the topic of transitions after the death of his first wife.This is an emotionally powerful book and Bridges is brutally honest and open about his own personality and relationships.I give it 4 stars, though, because I'm not sure that he adds a whole lot to his orginal work on transitions.

Getting personal wth William Bridges, Transition Guru
William Bridges surprised me with this extremely well-written and personal book.I am an executive coach who had read many of his other books and have often recommended Bridge's Managing Transitions to clients and friends in the business world.I opened the book expecting to find a how-to manual on getting through midlife in business,or through the loss of a job or some other similarly difficult but containable business transition.What I found was a deeply personal (and to me intensely meaningful description of) William's own life transitions through his job changes, marriage difficulties, and most significantly the death of his first wife and the transition that ensued.This beautifully written book reads more like a novel than a self help book, but the fact that it describes real transitions at a very deep level is exactly what makes it helpful.I congratulate the author for having the guts to write it.

Adjusting to change
The author is very professional in his knowledge of tranistion vs. change and the merging of the process so that one understands the need to understand transition and that understanding to facilitate change.It is a very personal account of his understanding of the value of "letting go".His wife of 48 years is about to pass and the culmination of their realtionship and acceptance of the change to come and the phases of tranistion.To me personally, the acceptance of "letting go" allowed me to move further into my life and relish the anticipation of what could be.But not until I "let go".To me that was an exceptional development.And it all had to do with understanding transition.I am deeply grateful as is my wife who is reading it now. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adjustment (Psychology)    2. Bridges, William,    3. Change (Psychology)    4. Death / Grief / Consolation    5. Death, Grief, Bereavement    6. General    7. Maturation (Psychology)    8. Personality    9. Psychology    10. Self-actualization (Psychology    11. Self-actualization (Psychology)    12. Biography: general    13. Coping with death & bereavement    14. Popular psychology    15. Biography/Memoir    16. Self-Help   

Reviews (4)

Possibly helpful if you're "born again"
This book was a huge disapppointment. What you won't find out until you buy it:
Comforting and Supportive
Of all the books that I have read in my lifetime, this is one that I wish I never had to.The death of a father is one of the most difficult things that we can ever expererience and one that I went through recently.This book cuts through the trite and simple ("He's in a better place" etc) and offers a viewpoint that is more the way of a fellow traveler along a very difficult passage in life.I left this book knowing that I was not alone or crazy, and with a sense of having my feelings acknowledged as reasonable and necessary components of the healing process.The authors touch a nerve with this work and I would highly recommend it for any man who unfortunately finds himself in need of it.

A Must Read for men of any age, who have experienced their Dad dying.
My daughter bought this book for me while she was home for my father's funeral.It was such a good "source" to help me begin the journey of not having a "living" father.My mother had died 10 years earlier, but it is not the same experience.Since reading this book, I have purchased 4 more, for a brother, my 2 sons, and my late best-friend's son.Whether you are 60 like me, or 30's , it still helps.It is full of "experiences" shared by other men they interviewed.
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Subjects:  1. Bereavement    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Christianity - Christian Life - Men's Issues    4. Christianity - Christian Life - Suffering & Grief    5. Death    6. Death / Grief / Consolation    7. Death, Grief, Bereavement    8. Family & Relationships    9. Family/Marriage    10. Fathers    11. Grief    12. Psychological aspects    13. Psychology    14. Family & Relationships / Death, Grief, Bereavement    15. Grief, Suffering & Consolation    16. Men   

Reviews (19)

In Memory of Sillie the Cat
Thank you Gary for this well written, insightful book.I was heartbroken at the loss of my kitty of 16 years.This book was able to comfort me during the time of sadness.While I'm not over the loss, I was able to stop agonizin