The Plain Guide to Grief

The Plain Guide to Grief

Author: John Wilson, PhD

Publisher:

Published: 2020-12-09

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 9781800491373

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In plain language, this book tells you how to manage your grief following a life changing loss. It tells you what to expect in the coming weeks, months and years. Your grief is unique. Nobody has ever grieved like you are doing, so this is a guide to support you in your journey, not a method for you to follow. If you are reading this because you are grieving a loss, then most likely a person close to you has died. However, this book can help with other difficult losses. Loss of a job, of health, of a friendship or an intimate relationship, are just some of the losses that we grieve. 'Loved one' can refer to a pet too.The plain and simple language of the book is important when your loss is new. Grief makes it hard to concentrate, so this book uses simple words, short sentences and not too many words on a page.The author, Dr John Wilson, has supported hundreds of grieving people over the past twenty years, and continues to research how people grieve. This book is based on the real experience of grieving people whose stories have been made anonymous. Dr Wilson is author of 'Supporting People through Loss and Grief: An introduction for Counsellors and Other Caring Practitioners.' Published in 2013, it is often used to train bereavement counsellors and volunteers in bereavement support.This edition includes a chapter on bereavement from and during the Covid-19 pandemic.


Book Synopsis The Plain Guide to Grief by : John Wilson, PhD

Download or read book The Plain Guide to Grief written by John Wilson, PhD and published by . This book was released on 2020-12-09 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In plain language, this book tells you how to manage your grief following a life changing loss. It tells you what to expect in the coming weeks, months and years. Your grief is unique. Nobody has ever grieved like you are doing, so this is a guide to support you in your journey, not a method for you to follow. If you are reading this because you are grieving a loss, then most likely a person close to you has died. However, this book can help with other difficult losses. Loss of a job, of health, of a friendship or an intimate relationship, are just some of the losses that we grieve. 'Loved one' can refer to a pet too.The plain and simple language of the book is important when your loss is new. Grief makes it hard to concentrate, so this book uses simple words, short sentences and not too many words on a page.The author, Dr John Wilson, has supported hundreds of grieving people over the past twenty years, and continues to research how people grieve. This book is based on the real experience of grieving people whose stories have been made anonymous. Dr Wilson is author of 'Supporting People through Loss and Grief: An introduction for Counsellors and Other Caring Practitioners.' Published in 2013, it is often used to train bereavement counsellors and volunteers in bereavement support.This edition includes a chapter on bereavement from and during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Come to Grief

Come to Grief

Author: Dick Francis

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2005-12-06

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 1101141735

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When ex-jockey Sid Halley becomes convinced that one of his closest friends--and one of the racing world's most beloved figures--is behind a series of shockingly violent acts, he faces the most troubling case of his career.


Book Synopsis Come to Grief by : Dick Francis

Download or read book Come to Grief written by Dick Francis and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2005-12-06 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When ex-jockey Sid Halley becomes convinced that one of his closest friends--and one of the racing world's most beloved figures--is behind a series of shockingly violent acts, he faces the most troubling case of his career.

Opening to Grief

Opening to Grief

Author: Claire Willis

Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser

Published: 2022

Total Pages: 146

ISBN-13: 1590035267

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"Excellent and simple and as clear as a needed glass of water in the desert. I cannot think of a better companion for our current time." --Katy Butler, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Dying Well All of us experience loss. Some of us have lost a spouse, a child, a parent, a beloved pet, a dear friend, or a neighbor. In the pandemic, we have lost hundreds of thousands of lives in the US and around the world. Many of us have lost our livelihoods. All of us have lost our familiar routines and textures of work, family, and community. And the losses are not over. Opening to Grief is a companion to this tender time. With the demeanor and tone of a loving friend, the authors offer an invitation to grieve fully, to turn toward your emotions and experiences however they arise, and to follow your own path toward healing. The book explores the deep truth that grief and love are richly intertwined. Because we love, we grieve. And when we fully feel our sorrow, we open to loving ourselves and other beings more deeply.


Book Synopsis Opening to Grief by : Claire Willis

Download or read book Opening to Grief written by Claire Willis and published by Red Wheel/Weiser. This book was released on 2022 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Excellent and simple and as clear as a needed glass of water in the desert. I cannot think of a better companion for our current time." --Katy Butler, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Dying Well All of us experience loss. Some of us have lost a spouse, a child, a parent, a beloved pet, a dear friend, or a neighbor. In the pandemic, we have lost hundreds of thousands of lives in the US and around the world. Many of us have lost our livelihoods. All of us have lost our familiar routines and textures of work, family, and community. And the losses are not over. Opening to Grief is a companion to this tender time. With the demeanor and tone of a loving friend, the authors offer an invitation to grieve fully, to turn toward your emotions and experiences however they arise, and to follow your own path toward healing. The book explores the deep truth that grief and love are richly intertwined. Because we love, we grieve. And when we fully feel our sorrow, we open to loving ourselves and other beings more deeply.

Coming to Grief

Coming to Grief

Author: Pam Heaney

Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand Limited

Published: 2014-08-15

Total Pages: 209

ISBN-13: 1775533506

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A survival guide to grief and loss We experience grief and loss for many reasons: death, separation, divorce, redundancy, illness and through many other major life changes. Pam Heaney's thorough and perceptive exploration of grief is a book that will truly help us help ourselves and others. Sensible, clear and caring in tone, the author explains how we express our grief via our cultural and family conditioning, much of which is based on inadequate stereotypes and myths. In debunking the old clichés — 'Time heals all wounds' or 'You should be over it by now' — she offers insight into the true nature of grief and loss, and equips the reader with useful knowledge and understanding. She also provides strategies to help healing while recognising the unique grieving experience of each individual. The whole book is imbued with hope, encouragement and compassion.


Book Synopsis Coming to Grief by : Pam Heaney

Download or read book Coming to Grief written by Pam Heaney and published by Penguin Random House New Zealand Limited. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A survival guide to grief and loss We experience grief and loss for many reasons: death, separation, divorce, redundancy, illness and through many other major life changes. Pam Heaney's thorough and perceptive exploration of grief is a book that will truly help us help ourselves and others. Sensible, clear and caring in tone, the author explains how we express our grief via our cultural and family conditioning, much of which is based on inadequate stereotypes and myths. In debunking the old clichés — 'Time heals all wounds' or 'You should be over it by now' — she offers insight into the true nature of grief and loss, and equips the reader with useful knowledge and understanding. She also provides strategies to help healing while recognising the unique grieving experience of each individual. The whole book is imbued with hope, encouragement and compassion.

The Book of Grief and Hamburgers

The Book of Grief and Hamburgers

Author: Stuart Ross

Publisher: ECW Press

Published: 2022-04-05

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 1773059556

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A poignant meditation on mortality from a beloved Canadian poet A writer friend once pointed out that whenever Stuart Ross got close to something heavy and “real” in a poem, a hamburger would inevitably appear for comic relief. In this hybrid essay/memoir/poetic meditation, Ross shoves aside the heaping plate of burgers to wrestle with what it means to grieve the people one loves and what it means to go on living in the face of an enormous accumulation of loss. Written during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, shortly after the sudden death of his brother left him the last living member of his family and as a catastrophic diagnosis meant anticipating the death of his closest friend, this meditation on mortality — a kind of literary shiva — is Ross’s most personal book to date. More than a catalogue of losses, The Book of Grief and Hamburgers is a moving act of resistance against self-annihilation and a desperate attempt to embrace all that was good in his relationships with those most dear to him.


Book Synopsis The Book of Grief and Hamburgers by : Stuart Ross

Download or read book The Book of Grief and Hamburgers written by Stuart Ross and published by ECW Press. This book was released on 2022-04-05 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A poignant meditation on mortality from a beloved Canadian poet A writer friend once pointed out that whenever Stuart Ross got close to something heavy and “real” in a poem, a hamburger would inevitably appear for comic relief. In this hybrid essay/memoir/poetic meditation, Ross shoves aside the heaping plate of burgers to wrestle with what it means to grieve the people one loves and what it means to go on living in the face of an enormous accumulation of loss. Written during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, shortly after the sudden death of his brother left him the last living member of his family and as a catastrophic diagnosis meant anticipating the death of his closest friend, this meditation on mortality — a kind of literary shiva — is Ross’s most personal book to date. More than a catalogue of losses, The Book of Grief and Hamburgers is a moving act of resistance against self-annihilation and a desperate attempt to embrace all that was good in his relationships with those most dear to him.

Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief

Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief

Author: Claire Bidwell Smith

Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books

Published: 2018-09-25

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0738234761

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A groundbreaking book exploring the little-known yet critical connections between anxiety and grief, with practical strategies for healing that follow the renowned Kübler-Ross stages model. If you're suffering form anxiety but not sure why, or if you're struggling with loss and looking for solace, Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief offers help -- and answers. Significant loss and unresolved grief are primary underpinnings of anxiety, something that grief expert Claire Bidwell Smith discovered in her own life and in her practice with her therapy clients. Now, using research and real life stories, Smith breaks down the physiology of anxiety, giving you a concrete foundation of understanding in order to help you heal. Starting with the basics of What Is Anxiety? and What Is Grief? and moving to concrete approaches such as Making Amends, Taking Charge, and Retraining Your Brain, Anxiety takes a big step beyond Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's widely accepted five stages to unpack everything from our age-old fears about mortality to the bare vulnerability a loss can make us feel. With concrete tools and coping strategies for panic attacks, getting a handle on anxious thoughts, and more, Smith bridges these two emotions in a way that is deeply empathetic and eminently practical.


Book Synopsis Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief by : Claire Bidwell Smith

Download or read book Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief written by Claire Bidwell Smith and published by Da Capo Lifelong Books. This book was released on 2018-09-25 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A groundbreaking book exploring the little-known yet critical connections between anxiety and grief, with practical strategies for healing that follow the renowned Kübler-Ross stages model. If you're suffering form anxiety but not sure why, or if you're struggling with loss and looking for solace, Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief offers help -- and answers. Significant loss and unresolved grief are primary underpinnings of anxiety, something that grief expert Claire Bidwell Smith discovered in her own life and in her practice with her therapy clients. Now, using research and real life stories, Smith breaks down the physiology of anxiety, giving you a concrete foundation of understanding in order to help you heal. Starting with the basics of What Is Anxiety? and What Is Grief? and moving to concrete approaches such as Making Amends, Taking Charge, and Retraining Your Brain, Anxiety takes a big step beyond Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's widely accepted five stages to unpack everything from our age-old fears about mortality to the bare vulnerability a loss can make us feel. With concrete tools and coping strategies for panic attacks, getting a handle on anxious thoughts, and more, Smith bridges these two emotions in a way that is deeply empathetic and eminently practical.

Finding Meaning

Finding Meaning

Author: David Kessler

Publisher: Scribner

Published: 2019-11-05

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 1501192736

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In this groundbreaking new work, David Kessler—an expert on grief and the coauthor with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross of the iconic On Grief and Grieving—journeys beyond the classic five stages to discover a sixth stage: meaning. In 1969, Elisabeth Kübler Ross first identified the stages of dying in her transformative book On Death and Dying. Decades later, she and David Kessler wrote the classic On Grief and Grieving, introducing the stages of grief with the same transformative pragmatism and compassion. Now, based on hard-earned personal experiences, as well as knowledge and wisdom earned through decades of work with the grieving, Kessler introduces a critical sixth stage. Many people look for “closure” after a loss. Kessler argues that it’s finding meaning beyond the stages of grief most of us are familiar with—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—that can transform grief into a more peaceful and hopeful experience. In this book, Kessler gives readers a roadmap to remembering those who have died with more love than pain; he shows us how to move forward in a way that honors our loved ones. Kessler’s insight is both professional and intensely personal. His journey with grief began when, as a child, he witnessed a mass shooting at the same time his mother was dying. For most of his life, Kessler taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about end of life, trauma, and grief, as well as leading talks and retreats for those experiencing grief. Despite his knowledge, his life was upended by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son. How does the grief expert handle such a tragic loss? He knew he had to find a way through this unexpected, devastating loss, a way that would honor his son. That, ultimately, was the sixth state of grief—meaning. In Finding Meaning, Kessler shares the insights, collective wisdom, and powerful tools that will help those experiencing loss. Finding Meaning is a necessary addition to grief literature and a vital guide to healing from tremendous loss. This is an inspiring, deeply intelligent must-read for anyone looking to journey away from suffering, through loss, and towards meaning.


Book Synopsis Finding Meaning by : David Kessler

Download or read book Finding Meaning written by David Kessler and published by Scribner. This book was released on 2019-11-05 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this groundbreaking new work, David Kessler—an expert on grief and the coauthor with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross of the iconic On Grief and Grieving—journeys beyond the classic five stages to discover a sixth stage: meaning. In 1969, Elisabeth Kübler Ross first identified the stages of dying in her transformative book On Death and Dying. Decades later, she and David Kessler wrote the classic On Grief and Grieving, introducing the stages of grief with the same transformative pragmatism and compassion. Now, based on hard-earned personal experiences, as well as knowledge and wisdom earned through decades of work with the grieving, Kessler introduces a critical sixth stage. Many people look for “closure” after a loss. Kessler argues that it’s finding meaning beyond the stages of grief most of us are familiar with—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—that can transform grief into a more peaceful and hopeful experience. In this book, Kessler gives readers a roadmap to remembering those who have died with more love than pain; he shows us how to move forward in a way that honors our loved ones. Kessler’s insight is both professional and intensely personal. His journey with grief began when, as a child, he witnessed a mass shooting at the same time his mother was dying. For most of his life, Kessler taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about end of life, trauma, and grief, as well as leading talks and retreats for those experiencing grief. Despite his knowledge, his life was upended by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son. How does the grief expert handle such a tragic loss? He knew he had to find a way through this unexpected, devastating loss, a way that would honor his son. That, ultimately, was the sixth state of grief—meaning. In Finding Meaning, Kessler shares the insights, collective wisdom, and powerful tools that will help those experiencing loss. Finding Meaning is a necessary addition to grief literature and a vital guide to healing from tremendous loss. This is an inspiring, deeply intelligent must-read for anyone looking to journey away from suffering, through loss, and towards meaning.

The Wild Edge of Sorrow

The Wild Edge of Sorrow

Author: Francis Weller

Publisher: North Atlantic Books

Published: 2015-09-15

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 1583949763

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The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and be stretched large by them. As seen on All There Is with Anderson Cooper Noted psychotherapist Francis Weller provides an essential guide for navigating the deep waters of sorrow and loss in this lyrical yet practical handbook for mastering the art of grieving. Describing how Western patterns of amnesia and anesthesia affect our capacity to cope with personal and collective sorrows, Weller reveals the new vitality we may encounter when we welcome, rather than fear, the pain of loss. Through moving personal stories, poetry, and insightful reflections he leads us into the central energy of sorrow, and to the profound healing and heightened communion with each other and our planet that reside alongside it. The Wild Edge of Sorrow explains that grief has always been communal and illustrates how we need the healing touch of others, an atmosphere of compassion, and the comfort of ritual in order to fully metabolize our grief. Weller describes how we often hide our pain from the world, wrapping it in a secret mantle of shame. This causes sorrow to linger unexpressed in our bodies, weighing us down and pulling us into the territory of depression and death. We have come to fear grief and feel too alone to face an encounter with the powerful energies of sorrow. Those who work with people in grief, who have experienced the loss of a loved one, who mourn the ongoing destruction of our planet, or who suffer the accumulated traumas of a lifetime will appreciate the discussion of obstacles to successful grief work such as privatized pain, lack of communal rituals, a pervasive feeling of fear, and a culturally restrictive range of emotion. Weller highlights the intimate bond between grief and gratitude, sorrow and intimacy. In addition to showing us that the greatest gifts are often hidden in the things we avoid, he offers powerful tools and rituals and a list of resources to help us transform grief into a force that allows us to live and love more fully.


Book Synopsis The Wild Edge of Sorrow by : Francis Weller

Download or read book The Wild Edge of Sorrow written by Francis Weller and published by North Atlantic Books. This book was released on 2015-09-15 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and be stretched large by them. As seen on All There Is with Anderson Cooper Noted psychotherapist Francis Weller provides an essential guide for navigating the deep waters of sorrow and loss in this lyrical yet practical handbook for mastering the art of grieving. Describing how Western patterns of amnesia and anesthesia affect our capacity to cope with personal and collective sorrows, Weller reveals the new vitality we may encounter when we welcome, rather than fear, the pain of loss. Through moving personal stories, poetry, and insightful reflections he leads us into the central energy of sorrow, and to the profound healing and heightened communion with each other and our planet that reside alongside it. The Wild Edge of Sorrow explains that grief has always been communal and illustrates how we need the healing touch of others, an atmosphere of compassion, and the comfort of ritual in order to fully metabolize our grief. Weller describes how we often hide our pain from the world, wrapping it in a secret mantle of shame. This causes sorrow to linger unexpressed in our bodies, weighing us down and pulling us into the territory of depression and death. We have come to fear grief and feel too alone to face an encounter with the powerful energies of sorrow. Those who work with people in grief, who have experienced the loss of a loved one, who mourn the ongoing destruction of our planet, or who suffer the accumulated traumas of a lifetime will appreciate the discussion of obstacles to successful grief work such as privatized pain, lack of communal rituals, a pervasive feeling of fear, and a culturally restrictive range of emotion. Weller highlights the intimate bond between grief and gratitude, sorrow and intimacy. In addition to showing us that the greatest gifts are often hidden in the things we avoid, he offers powerful tools and rituals and a list of resources to help us transform grief into a force that allows us to live and love more fully.

Notes on Grief

Notes on Grief

Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Publisher: Knopf

Published: 2021-05-11

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 0593320816

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From the globally acclaimed, best-selling novelist and author of We Should All Be Feminists, a timely and deeply personal account of the loss of her father: “With raw eloquence, Notes on Grief … captures the bewildering messiness of loss in a society that requires serenity, when you’d rather just scream. Grief is impolite ... Adichie’s words put welcome, authentic voice to this most universal of emotions, which is also one of the most universally avoided” (The Washington Post). Notes on Grief is an exquisite work of meditation, remembrance, and hope, written in the wake of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's beloved father’s death in the summer of 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic raged around the world, and kept Adichie and her family members separated from one another, her father succumbed unexpectedly to complications of kidney failure. Expanding on her original New Yorker piece, Adichie shares how this loss shook her to her core. She writes about being one of the millions of people grieving this year; about the familial and cultural dimensions of grief and also about the loneliness and anger that are unavoidable in it. With signature precision of language, and glittering, devastating detail on the page—and never without touches of rich, honest humor—Adichie weaves together her own experience of her father’s death with threads of his life story, from his remarkable survival during the Biafran war, through a long career as a statistics professor, into the days of the pandemic in which he’d stay connected with his children and grandchildren over video chat from the family home in Abba, Nigeria. In the compact format of We Should All Be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, Adichie delivers a gem of a book—a book that fundamentally connects us to one another as it probes one of the most universal human experiences. Notes on Grief is a book for this moment—a work readers will treasure and share now more than ever—and yet will prove durable and timeless, an indispensable addition to Adichie's canon.


Book Synopsis Notes on Grief by : Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Download or read book Notes on Grief written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and published by Knopf. This book was released on 2021-05-11 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the globally acclaimed, best-selling novelist and author of We Should All Be Feminists, a timely and deeply personal account of the loss of her father: “With raw eloquence, Notes on Grief … captures the bewildering messiness of loss in a society that requires serenity, when you’d rather just scream. Grief is impolite ... Adichie’s words put welcome, authentic voice to this most universal of emotions, which is also one of the most universally avoided” (The Washington Post). Notes on Grief is an exquisite work of meditation, remembrance, and hope, written in the wake of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's beloved father’s death in the summer of 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic raged around the world, and kept Adichie and her family members separated from one another, her father succumbed unexpectedly to complications of kidney failure. Expanding on her original New Yorker piece, Adichie shares how this loss shook her to her core. She writes about being one of the millions of people grieving this year; about the familial and cultural dimensions of grief and also about the loneliness and anger that are unavoidable in it. With signature precision of language, and glittering, devastating detail on the page—and never without touches of rich, honest humor—Adichie weaves together her own experience of her father’s death with threads of his life story, from his remarkable survival during the Biafran war, through a long career as a statistics professor, into the days of the pandemic in which he’d stay connected with his children and grandchildren over video chat from the family home in Abba, Nigeria. In the compact format of We Should All Be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, Adichie delivers a gem of a book—a book that fundamentally connects us to one another as it probes one of the most universal human experiences. Notes on Grief is a book for this moment—a work readers will treasure and share now more than ever—and yet will prove durable and timeless, an indispensable addition to Adichie's canon.

The Madness of Grief

The Madness of Grief

Author: Richard Coles

Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Published: 2021-04-01

Total Pages: 138

ISBN-13: 1474619649

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THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Immensely moving and disarmingly witty' Nigella Lawson 'Such a moving, tough, funny, raw, honest read' Matt Haig 'Beautifully written, moving and gut-wrenching, but also at times very funny' Ian Rankin 'Captures brilliantly, beautifully, bravely the comedy as well as the tragedy of bereavement' The Times 'Will strike a chord with anyone who has grieved' Independent Whether it is pastoral care for the bereaved, discussions about the afterlife, or being called out to perform the last rites, death is part of the Reverend Richard Coles's life and work. But when his partner the Reverend David Coles died, shortly before Christmas in 2019, much about death took Coles by surprise. For one thing, David's death at the early age of forty-three was unexpected. The man that so often assists others to examine life's moral questions now found himself in need of help. He began to look to others for guidance to steer him through his grief. The flock was leading the shepherd. Much about grief surprised him: the volume of 'sadmin' you have to do when someone dies, how much harder it is travelling for work alone, even the pain of typing a text message to your partner - then realising you are alone. The Reverend Richard Coles's deeply personal account of life after grief will resonate, unforgettably, with anyone who has lost a loved one.


Book Synopsis The Madness of Grief by : Richard Coles

Download or read book The Madness of Grief written by Richard Coles and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. This book was released on 2021-04-01 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Immensely moving and disarmingly witty' Nigella Lawson 'Such a moving, tough, funny, raw, honest read' Matt Haig 'Beautifully written, moving and gut-wrenching, but also at times very funny' Ian Rankin 'Captures brilliantly, beautifully, bravely the comedy as well as the tragedy of bereavement' The Times 'Will strike a chord with anyone who has grieved' Independent Whether it is pastoral care for the bereaved, discussions about the afterlife, or being called out to perform the last rites, death is part of the Reverend Richard Coles's life and work. But when his partner the Reverend David Coles died, shortly before Christmas in 2019, much about death took Coles by surprise. For one thing, David's death at the early age of forty-three was unexpected. The man that so often assists others to examine life's moral questions now found himself in need of help. He began to look to others for guidance to steer him through his grief. The flock was leading the shepherd. Much about grief surprised him: the volume of 'sadmin' you have to do when someone dies, how much harder it is travelling for work alone, even the pain of typing a text message to your partner - then realising you are alone. The Reverend Richard Coles's deeply personal account of life after grief will resonate, unforgettably, with anyone who has lost a loved one.