Thoughtful, Practical Ideas for Rebuilding your Life
Da Capo Press a member of the Perseus Books Group, Cambridge (1997, revised edition)
By Genevieve Davis Ginsburg, M.S.

In Ginsberg’s book, the author talks about the feelings that I, as a thirty year old widow experienced so often, feelings of numbness and anesthesia. This is a book that I really enjoyed reading and wished it would have been available when I was grieving. The book is a combination of Ginsburg’s thoughts and experiences and those of hundreds of widows and widowers in their quest to find wholeness in the new stage of life which they have not chosen and for which they certainly are not prepared.

The book is divided in five sections: the early months and the emotions experienced, the passing of time and the problems faced, the transition from widowhood to self-hood , information for the grieving family and finally a resource section which advocates the importance of having caring people to whom you can turn in moments of need. Ginsberg emphasizes the importance of support groups led by people who have experienced the loss of a spouse.

The author has created a website: Widowed to Widowed Services. This support group is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that is not affiliated with any religious institution and which has helped numerous widows and widowers throughout the years.

If you would like to recommend a book or a service which you have found helpful, please feel free to share. A comment about the book or service would be appreciated but not essential. Together we will contribute to helping those who need a helping hand. many thanks for your contribution in the Comment box below.

Books on grieving :

Conversations on the New You,
Moody Publishers, Chicago (2009)
By Miriam Neff,

The following is the first paragraph of Miriam Neff’s book From one Widow to Another:
Imagine a single event that will dramatically change your calendar, your check book, your friendship network, the contents of your refrigerator, the temperature you set your thermostat, your outlook on your future, and your connection with your children. And that’s not all. Your appearance may change, your emotions, your sleep patterns, your theology, your social status, and possibly your address.

From one Widow to Another is written by a widow who is Christian and whose faith and positive outlook on life has helped her shape a new and rewarding life chapter, after forty-one years of marriage. Through the unique lens of someone who has walked the road, the book contains practical advice on financial matters, tips on living alone and recommended readings. Throughout the book, Neff acknowledges the widow’s vulnerabilities: the grief, the depression and the fear experienced by most. Neff dispels certain myths about socialization and relates that as a widow she learned to release people from her former life and to adjust her friendships to her single woman reality.

Neff discovered that “hearing others’ stories helps me sort out my own”. Thus, in the book From one Widow to Another, she has included many testimonies from widows of all walks of life who have lost their husbands, the father of their children and who have met the struggle head-on. She believes in the importance of supporting one another in difficult times and even suggests an organizational model for widows who would like to set up a support group in their community.

Miriam Neff is not only a spiritual adviser, a born leader but also a down to earth and a practical woman who has her own website, Widow connection.com. Check it out and be inspired!

Simon & Schuster Paperbacks. New York (2014)
312 pages
By: Dr. Bill Thomas

Second Wind is a thought provoking and inspirational book on the developmental journey of the Baby Boom generation. Dr. Thomas shares his experience as a geriatrician in a narrative that offers a snapshot of the world which has shaped the life journey of today’s aging population. He takes a critical stance on society’s treatment of the Aged and promotes their wealth of experience as well as their wisdom.
The book is composed of four parts outlining the flow of forces leading to a life beyond adulthood: The First Crucible, The Rise to Power, The Second Crucible, and Life beyond Adulthood. According to Thomas the narrative is in part “an attempt to retell the foundational generational tale of our time”.

As a trailblazer, the author believes that ‘’there is a new age out there, waiting to be born’’ and he certainly does his share to bring this creation to fruition. This is a book for those searching for a better understanding of the elderly and especially, it is a book presenting a different perspective on the superglue, peacemaker, gist-catcher attributes of the elderly.

(Book review by Jeanne Brideau)