5 books for grieving people

In a world that places parameters and timelines on grief, books have been a refuge for me. I’ve never “gotten over” my loss and I don’t plan to. I grieve still, daily. This positions me outside of what normative society expects from the grieving process.

It is essential for me, many years after the loss, to connect with others who relate to grief similarly. Those who know: It can be ongoing. It’s not abnormal. It’s not a disorder. It makes you human. It connects you to who you’ve loved.

I’m grateful to have people like this in my life, but I still turn to my literary heroes and the written words of other grieving people to anchor myself in this knowing. In case others would benefit, I wanted to share a few of the books that I continue to turn to for solace.

The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller

Therapist Francis Weller shares his profound and moving perspective on the necessity and vitality of grief.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Novelist and memoirist Joan Didion’s incisive account of devastating personal losses.

Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie remembers her father in this touching account of the events around his death.

Bittersweet by Susan Cain

This book is not specifically about loss, but it speaks about how embracing sorrow and longing in our lives can be beneficial.

Crying in H Mart

Michelle Zauner writes about her mom’s illness and death as she reckons with her own Korean identity.