Jennifer Worth's bestselling memoirs of her time as a midwife have inspired and moved readers of all ages. Now, in In the Midst of Life she documents her experiences as a nurse and ward sister, treating patients who were nearing the end of their lives. Interspersed with these stories from Jennifer's post-midwife career are the histories of her patients, from the family divided by a decision nobody could bear to make, to the mother who comes to her son's adopted country and joins his family without being able to speak a word of English. In the Midst of Life also gives moving insights not just into Jennifer's life and career, but also of a period of time which seems very different to today's, fast-paced world.

'Our time together is limited and exceedingly precious. We write to make sense of our existence, even as it sweeps us into the darkest zones of physical decline, and death.' After spending a lifetime together, Irvin and Marilyn Yalom confront in alternating chapters the reality of Marilyn's terminal cancer diagnosis in this profoundly moving, tender and loving memoir. From Irvin's work in psychotherapy examining our fear of death, compounded with personal experience, A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE seeks to answer questions that we all hold about the end of our lives: How much are we willing to bear to stay alive? How can we end our days as painlessly as possible? How can we gracefully leave this world to the next generation? Told at first in alternating chapters between them, completed in the aftermath of Marilyn's death, A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE is an unforgettable portrait of love and unflinchingly examines what it means to live and die well.

In his book, DEATH NEED NOT BE FATAL, McCourt explores the role death has played and continues to play in his life and in the world. From the dead babies and starving children in the Limerick of his childhood, to Angela's famous ashes, to the deaths of McCourt's brothers Frank and Mike - and McCourt's own impending demise - the Grim Reaper has been a constant companion and reminder of what is important, and what's not. McCourt writes that, as he draws closer to death, his perception of death has become crystal clear. When it occurs, he does not plan to pass away, pass on, or cross over. He's not going to make the supreme sacrifice or come to an untidy end; he is not going to be laid to rest, meet his maker, or go to his eternal reward. He is not going to breath his last, bite the dust, kick the bucket, or buy the farm; he's not going to turn up his toes, join the silent majority, become a landowner, take a dirt nap, push up daisies, play a harp, take a taxi, give up his ghost, feed the worms, enter the sweet hereafter, or shuffle off the mortal coil. He plans to die.

The Good Funeral Guide is the first ever independent consumer guide to the funeral industry. It is for anyone who: - needs to arrange a funeral for someone now - has sick or elderly relatives or friends and knows that a funeral is imminent - wants to find a good funeral director and have some say in the funeral itself - wants to make future arrangements for their own funeral - would like to learn about deaths and funerals Authoritative, impartial and empowering, it is indispensable for those who don't want a conventional religious ceremony and invaluable for those who do. This is a book we will all need - probably at least twice.

We all tell ourselves stories about who we are. Many of these stories are self-critical and disempowering. Through the practice of self-compassion, we can rewrite these stories and become more authentic and powerful versions of ourselves-transforming not only our own lives but also the lives of those around us. In short and personal pieces, Marianne Ingheim tells the story of how the practice of self-compassion has changed her life in ways big and small, helping her unlearn harsh self-criticism, survive multiple tragedies, and live more authentically. In the wake of a breast cancer diagnosis and her husband's suicide, she discovers the power of self-compassionate storytelling and finds belonging within herself-and in doing so, she learns how to manage anxiety and stress, how to be authentic in relationships, and how to let go of comparison and be truly creative. Through stories and journaling prompts, Out of Love: Finding Your Way Back to Self-Compassion aims to inspire readers to unlearn the self-critical patterns holding them hostage-and begin to live a happier, more courageous life.

Offering a series of poems rooted in the profoundly narrative yet disorienting experience of losing a loved one, Prageeta Sharma, in Grief Sequence, summons all of her resources in order to attempt any semblance, poetic or otherwise, of clear sense in trauma. In doing so she shows that grief, frustrating to logic and yet as real as any experience we might know, is ripe for the sort of intellectual and emotional processing of which poetry is most capable.

Joanne Hichens lost first her mother, then, in quick succession, her husband, her father and her mother-in-law - two deaths anticipated, two coming as the worst kind of shock. In this memoir of grief and recovery, she writes with honesty and humour of death, our 'constant companion', and the stumbling journey through the country of grief.

By turns searing and sparkling, her account gives compelling insight into the losses that stalk us all, while also celebrating the mainstays of life - friendship, family, and the memories of those we love and lose.

It is heartbreaking to learn that your loved one has experienced a miscarriage or molar or ectopic pregnancy. Be it a friend, child or your own partner, it can be hard to know what to say, or how best you can help. Should you mention the baby or avoid all topics that relate to children? How can you be there for your partner as they grieve, while dealing with your own emotions? What if you're pregnant and it's your best friend that has experienced a loss? What if you say the wrong thing? This accessible guide provides evidence-based advice on supporting someone after a miscarriage, ectopic or molar pregnancy. Clare Foster draws upon her personal experience and that of other women and partners, as well as extensive research, to provide you with the knowledge and practical advice you need to help your loved one. The National Director of the Miscarriage Association, Ruth Bender-Atik, has written a foreword.

'A powerful and honest account of love, grief and starting again, it's moving and sad, but also surprisingly funny. You'll love it.' Closer 'Devastatingly honest and deeply moving.' Daily Mail 'As inspiring as it is heartbreaking.' News of the World 'Gritty, honest and surprising . . . this moving, warts-and-all real-life story of a young woman's experience of crippling bereavement and her desperate attempts to move on is heartbreaking - but manages to be hopeful and optimistic at the same time.' Heat 'Molloy works through the seven stages of grief - with added Sambuca shots - before emerging as a more reflective person . . . While she probably shouldn't consider a career in the self-help industry, you can't help but feel glad that the end is also a new beginning.' London Lite My story begins where most women hope theirs will end - with a big, white wedding. After all, isn't that how every good fairy tale finishes? I thought so. And at 23, in love and engaged, it seemed my 'happy ever after' was secure... That is until the man of my dreams died three weeks into our marriage. Look at me now: a 23 year old widow. You'd never guess. I've learnt to hide it well. Because the way I saw it, there were only two options... A) Dress in black, become a recluse and watch my wedding video on a loop? OR B) Decide falling in love again is out of the question and choose an easy, uncomplicated alternative - sex... Funny, powerful, and painfully honest, WIFE, INTERRUPTED examines the complicated process of grieving - and proves that sometimes the most unthinkable things can be the most comforting.

"Coping With Loss" describes the many ways in which people cope with the death of someone they love.
Most earlier books on bereavement have fallen into two categories: distillations of the clinical experience of individual therapists or collections of chapters reporting the results of empirical studies. Each category is valuable but has tended to serve a narrow group of readers--practitioners with particular theoretical orientations or researchers in quest of the latest findings. Coauthored by a leading research psychologist and an experienced therapist who specializes in bereavement education and intervention, this book is different. The authors weave together the strands of theory, research, and clinical wisdom into a seamless and readable narrative.
While they discuss previous work, they also present new data, never before published, from one of the largest studies of bereaved people ever conducted, the Bereavement Coping Project. Unlike most studies to date, which focused on only one type of bereaved group (usually widows or widowers), the Bereavement Coping Project examined the experiences of several different groups during the first l8 months after the death. The groups included those who had lost a spouse, a parent, an adult sibling, or a child; and those who had lost their significant other to cancer or cardiovascular disease on one hand as opposed to the stigmatized disease of AIDS on the other.
The book begins with a critical overview of theories of bereavement; succeeding chapters explore in depth the impact of specific types of loss, the impact of particular coping strategies on recovery; the impact of social supports and religion, and the special cases of children and of people who seem to grow and change for the better after a loss. A final chapter considers implications for intervention with bereaved people.
Each chapter is richly illuminated with real-life examples throughout and ends with a section called "Voices" in which bereaved people describe their various attempts to cope in their own words. Insightful and informative.

Everything can change - In Just One DayFlora has always adored her brother Billy. Born just eighteen months apart, their childhood was spent like two peas in a pod - no one could separate them. Now, as adults, they remain the best of friends. And as Flora is immersed in family life, Billy is always there to lend a hand. But, in just one day, everything changes. In just one day, Flora's life falls apart. In just one day, Flora has to learn how to live again. From the nostalgia of seaside Britain to the breath-taking beauty of Venice, in tears and laughter, join Helen McGinn for this emotional, uplifting and joyful story about love in all its guises. But above all, this is an unforgettable story of one little girl and the brother she adored. Helen McGinn has written a novel to recommend to all your friends, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Noble, Cathy Kelly and JoJo Moyes. Praise for Helen McGinn: 'Escapist, warm, witty and wise' Daily Mail 'This is a lovely uplifting book that transported me away, firstly to the beautiful city of Rome and then to gorgeous Cornwall. It's a moving and emotional story of families in all their messy wonderfulness, of people losing one another, and then coming together again - sometimes in unexpected ways. A hugely enjoyable family tale,it was exactly what I wanted to read at this time.' Louise Douglas 'This Changes Everything is the perfect tonic. An uplifting, forget-about-everything-else read that I couldn't put down. Romantic, emotional and page-turning, Helen McGinn's debut novel can't fail to cheer you up!' Zoe Folbigg 'I loved reading this book. I needed escapism - don't we all need escapism right now - and it gave me Rome, Cornwall and a family who immediately felt like old friends. I took it to the bath, to bed and had finished it within 24 hours. It was the perfect antidote to tough times.' Victoria Moore The Daily Telegraph

Healing Journeys with the Shepherd guides readers through the road of painful and desperate times by helping them to experience complete healing through a deeper connection with Jesus, The Shepherd. The journey of grief is raw and messy. In those painful and desperate times, travelers need a guide who understands the road and knows intimately the goodness of Jesus, The Shepherd. Healing Journeys with the Shepherd draws from Mary Kay McCauley Stone's personal experience and journal entries to create a heart to heart connection. In sharing some of the real and often silent struggles of the valley, she serves as a caring guide with practical suggestions to help tender hearts process through the hard questions. Together, readers move from the ache of loss to the joyful discovery of bright new life landscapes. Healing Journeys with the Shepherd includes a 40-day devotional and provides practical life coaching for daily care while exploring the restoration process as described in Psalm 23. The goal is to experience complete healing through a deeper relationship with Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

"I wish I'd had this book when I needed it. Death and dying are not subjects that many people are comfortable talking about, but it's hugely important to be as prepared as you can be - emotionally, physically, practically, financially, and spiritually. This book may be the most important guide you could have." - Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love ___________ The end of a life can often feel like a traumatic, chaotic and inhuman experience. In this reassuring and inspiring book, palliative care physician Dr BJ Miller and writer Shoshana Berger provide a vision for rethinking and navigating this universal process. There are plenty of self-help books for mourners, but nothing in the way of a modern, approachable and above all useful field guide for the living. And all of us - young, old, sick and well - could use the help. After all, pregnant couples have ample resources available to them as they prepare to bring a new life into the world: Lamaze courses, elaborate birth plans, tons of manuals. Why don't we have a What to Expect When You're Expecting to Die book? An accessible, beautifully designed and illustrated companion, A Beginner's Guide to the End offers a clear-eyed and compassionate survey of the most pressing issues that come up when one is dying, and will bring optimism and practical guidance to empower readers with the knowledge, resources and tools they'll need to die better, maybe even with triumph.

Philip Connors s Fire Season, an account of the decade he spent working in a fire-lookout tower high above the remotest part of New Mexico, won the Banff Mountain Book Grand Prize and the Reading the West Book Award, and Amazon named it the Best Nature Book of the Year. Now Connors returns with the story of what drove him up to the tower in the first place: the wilderness years he spent reeling in the wake of a family tragedy. This is an unforgettable account of grappling with a shattered sense of purpose, from his family s failing pig farm in Minnesota to a crack-addled Brooklyn neighborhood to the mountains of New Mexico, where he puts the pieces of his life back together. Like Cheryl Strayed s Wild, this is a finely wrought look back at wayward youth and a redemptive story about discovering one s place in the world."

All of us are confronted by death at various times in our lives. Some bereavements are particularly devastating - it may be we are very close to the one who has died, or death has come suddenly, unnaturally or even violently. This anthology of quotations is divided into two sections. The first contains material on the Bible's teaching on life after death; the concept of the soul; the need to face the truth of our own mortality; living to the full; untimely death; suicide; death as the result of disaster and of war. The second focuses on solace in grief; the comfort of Christ; our hope of life in heaven; being reunited with those we love, and the great communion of saints. Each chapter has its own introduction and ends with a selection of prayers.

An extraordinary memoir that explores the further reaches of today's cancer science - alongside a deeply tender story of loss, grief and love. 'A moving, compelling and vital book, that sheds much needed light on the very latest understanding of cancer.' Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Emperor of All Maladies 'A gripping, heartbreaking, accessible personal journey through love and cancer' Charles Graeber, New York Times bestselling author of The Breakthrough 'Sensitive and informed. Essential reading for anyone supporting a loved one through cancer. Heartbreaking, emotional - and totally and utterly uplifting and hopeful.' Deborah James (@bowelbabe), writer and broadcaster 'May be the most heartbreaking medical memoir you'll read.' Daily Mail When Henry Scowcroft's partner Zarah was diagnosed with stage IV bladder cancer in her mid-thirties, their world fell apart. In order to cope with the upheaval as they endured scans, aggressive chemotherapy and hospital stays, Henry began writing down and sharing their experiences with friends and family. His day job as a writer for the charity Cancer Research UK helped him to explain everything he was learning from the coalface of cancer treatment - including Zarah's diagnosis, and their rollercoaster journey through the health system. After Zarah's untimely death Henry found some closure and comfort by trying to learn more about her cancer from scientific analysis of the test results and biopsies taken during her treatment, and enlisted a team of doctors and researchers to help him. Could he have done more? How did Zarah's tumour develop? Could there be a legacy from her death that would help others diagnosed with cancer? This heart-wrenching memoir of love and loss is interspersed with Henry's mission to understand the cancer that took his partner too soon.

Those who have been bereaved are in need of support, and groupwork is an effective way in which people can come together and support each other in a trusted environment. This book provides a practical introduction to setting up and facilitating bereavement support groups, giving facilitators the confidence to run a group. It guides the reader through all the stages of setting up a group, and examines different types of facilitation and the skills needed. Case studies illustrate different types of group, such as closed, time-limited groups and open groups, with a discussion about the potential of online groups. Chapters also cover group dynamics, handling challenging situations, and overcoming problems that may arise. This accessible book helps to make groups successful for both participants and facilitators, and is a valued source of information and guidance for those working with bereaved people, including hospice and hospital staff, counsellors, trainers, managers and social workers.