A Most Read After A Death, Even If You're Not Trying Again
919734
I starting reading this book a few weeks after our still birth.  I did not want to "try again".  I was just trying to deal with all the emotions and all the issues of our still birth.  It has almost been two months now and all the other grieving book I've bought are on a shelf, but this one is still on my desk and I referance it almost every day.
This book has given me such a good resource for trying again, I almost feel like I could do it.  I feel like I'd have a good chance to make it through with my sanity intact, no matter what the outcome.
3379268
This is a thought provoking book about death, life and coming to terms with both. Almost immediately the reader learns that Tucker and Tammy have lost a child, Ethan, though the cause of his death isn't revealed until later in the book. Tucker has a need to return to his childhood roots, to live for a while with his grandparents, sans Tammy and their daughter Tory. Theres obviously a lot of pain surrounding the death of Ethan, and Tucker needs separation to work through some of it.

The parallel story is the death of Tuckers friend, Katie Cooper, years earlier when he and she were almost teenagers. As he reviews the circumstances of her death, as an adult, he sees there are a lot of holes in the story of her abduction and murder. He comes to realize the person convicted of killing her, didn't do it. Thus, Tucker plays detective, and ultimately arrives at who really killed Katie. While he cant right the wrongs done, he can confront the murderer.

The death of Ethan, and its circumstances were akin to those of my own younger sister, Judy, 65 years ago. In Hearts Left Behind, the pain of loss Tucker and Tammy and Tory go through is palatable. Its deep and agonizing. They question God, themselves and each other. And the description of their pain has given me insight into the pain my parents must have felt, but I never saw or heard expressed, over the loss of Judy. But now, I realize it had to be there, even though unseen.

Hearts Left Behind isn't a tearjerker. It is a thoughtful and thought-filled book. It reminded me of A Child at Dawn by Molly Fumia. Both books give readers insight into the gut-wrenching pain endured by parents, and others, at the death of a child, and at the same time finding ones way out of the pain and living with the loss.
2378736
What would you do if given the chance to re-live your life again after death with no changes?  Jane Bell is given this chance when she wakes up in an unfamiliar train station.  Confused as to how she arrived,  Jane discovers she has died.  Her guider gives her a choice of two trains to take.  Train A will continue her journey into the next phase of life, the life not lived on earth.  Train B will take her back to re-live her life again, as it was, with no changes.  She is given the chance to say goodbye and find closure to her death in her own way.  Jane chooses to live her life again and starts her journey that is filled with moments of reflection and understanding.  It is a journey sure to hold more than goodbye.

Every once in a while I come across a book that shocks and amazes me.  This was one of those wonderfully enjoyable books.  From the moment I started reading More Than Goodbye I knew it was something special.  I immensely enjoyed this novel.  Ms. Crovo writes with beauty and ease.  The book flows from one page to the next revealing Jane's live to the reader.  She lives through the joy, the struggles, surprises and expected moments with new meaning.  The author does a wonderful job with the reality of this novel.  Jane, although re-living her life, is not aware of her death or the future until her guider visits her.  Each appearance of the guider helps shed light and understanding of life and death to Jane as well as to the reader.  The novel is beautifully written and full of emotion.  The reader is left feeling just as much a part of Jane's life as Jane was.

The author writes of life and death in the most peaceful and comforting way.  The story started with a sad event and unfolded into a lifetime of memories to cherish and understand.  Jane was given the chance to live again and see her life in all of its splendor as well as its darkest moments and arrive at the end with closure and contentment along with some enlightenment.  I did not want to put this novel down.  It is most certainly an unique read.  The only confusing moment in the book happens when the author uses the same name for two different characters in the book.  The first use is for a childhood friend who is a key character in the 1st part of the novel.  The second use is for Jane's husband.  The confusion arrives in the short amount of time where these two are closely written about.  I was amazed at how easy the rest of the book was to understand and follow considering the subject matter.  Ms. Crovo definitely has a talent for writing.

Reviewed for reviewthebook
4825804
'Think Twice Before Crossing: A Memoir' held me in captivity. Each chapter took me on another adventure in Ms. Beatriz Garcia Nin's mishaps and sometimes life threaten ordeals. Once you read the first story you'll want to continue to the next until you reach the end of the book.

In reading this book, I found that Ms. Nin spent many years dealing with one incident after another. It all started when Ms Nin was approached by several psychics and was told about dreadful things that would happen in her life, including death.

Some of Ms. Nin's life threaten experiences includes being stalked by a crazy person, an attempted kidnapping, motorbike accident, and a near death experience (NDE). After so many frightening misfortunes and her near death experience, Ms. Nin was certain that her life's destiny would be short lived.

In Ms. Nin's NDE, while on the edge of no-return, she had extensive communication with a higher power, pleading to return to her body. After leaving her body twice, Ms. Nin was on the edge of crossing-over and never returning back. After being zapped back into her body for the third time, Ms Nin made a complete recovery.

In this NDE chapter, Ms. Nin talks about in detail, what it was like to be out of her body and observing the doctors frantically working to save her life. After reading this chapter many non-believers of life-after-death may see a new perspective that life continues after physical death.

Ms. Nin wrote this book to share her life ordeals and to give hope and inspiration to others who may be dealing with misfortunes in their life. The message Ms Nin wants to convey to all her readers is not to give up and feel helpless when things go wrong, but rather to "keep going" and turn the bad past experiences into good ones for the future.
209239
In a conversational manner, Ms. Eadie wrote about her experiences when she died. I felt inspired, comforted and hopeful. I wanted to be a kinder and more compassionate person. Having enjoyed the book immensely, I purchased copies of the book to share with other people when they were grieving the death of a loved one. I think most will find the book to be a pleasant and faith-inspiring read.

I admire the courage Ms. Eadie had in writing about such personal and meaningful things.

For those looking for some scientific validation of the afterlife, this isn't the book for you. For those who don't believe in an afterlife, this may not be the book for you. This is one person describing her experience from her perspective in her words.
1472916
This is definitely not a lighthearted poolside read. It's also not likely to be a good choice for a book club. But that said, it's still pretty powerful. It's not so much a typical narrative as an exploration into the mind of someone dealing with loss as a regular part of her life. It feels very authentic and organic (even though that probably sounds kind of pretentious) and I really liked that about it.
The one downside for me is that the book is kind of choppy. It skips from what may or may not be the present to different times in the past and its hard to tell whats going on in any sort of linear flow like I am used to in a novel. But at the same time, this fits with the themes and ideas in the book since it deals a lot with memory. And of course the nature of memory is not a linear one. So while in some ways it was a challenge for me to figure out what went on when and where are we at now, one minute she's in her 40's with her daughter, then she's 15 hanging out with her brother, then she's in her early twenties with her boyfriend, and there is no sense of present or past tenses. It all kind of just flows from one to the next and back again. I don't think the story would have worked as well if it had been organized any other way. I definitely felt like it was an intentional and deliberate choice.
I love what she says about memory, that what we choose to forget is as important as what we choose to remember. It kind of gives the whole book a slant, makes you wonder how accurate what she is describing is versus how colored it might be by all the things that she has chosen to forget plus the distortion of memory over time and as it is influenced by emotion.
I could relate to the loss and grief and the insistent nagging of what if I had said ro done somethign differently, would it have changed anything.
I also liked the use of second person. It's not something you see very often and it doesn't always work, but it does in this book. Even though at one point she even says this is not a letter, it does have the feeling of an internal "conversation" which feels very natural and realistic. (I know I do it myself all the time)
Having experience with depression and loss myself, and having my own struggles with memories and grief, I could relate to this book which definitely added to my overall experience
3919235
This is an emotional and poignant story of losing someone you love deeply, and then discovering how you can still connect with them even after they are gone.  While I agree that the story is one of a more personal nature, and does read a bit like a diary, it does not take away from the fact it is still a story that is worth your time to read.  I already believed in the afterlife, but hearing Dr. Jamie Turndorf describe her experience, and the different ways that a loved one can connect with you even after they are gone, was reassuring to me.  I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the afterlife.  I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
1863530
I highly recommend this book for anyone who has a loved one facing death, or might have someone that recently passed and who may have said things in the process that just didn't seem to make sense. Many real life stories that will enlighten you as to this part of the dying process. I read this book after my mother passed, and it reaffirmed what I believed she was experiencing. This will help you to better understand the end of life process.
3867221
My wife got this for me after a tragic death in my family. While it didn't immediately "make everything all better," Kreeft uses his distinctive style to make sense out of why we do undergo difficulties, trials, and sufferings in this life.

I especially appreciated that he refused to look away from the hard questions I brought to this piece. This book, along with CS Lewis' "A Grief Observed", helped put me on the path back to my faith when I was in danger of falling away from it. I heartily recommend it to any who are currently undergoing difficulties, or who have wondered how and why a good God allows suffering in this world, and how the two could possibly fit together in a logical and emotionally satisfying way.
664226
Recovering from tragedy and trauma is not easy. In fact, it is hard work, especially when death is the result of sudden, horrific tragedy. Mark shares his grief and his doubts about afterlife and his gradual awakening to the truth that life continues after physical death. He walks you through his efforts to find himself,and he shares his thoughts and feelings as he explores various healing sessions and trainings. All these healing adventures contribute to the development of a new life of hope and joy and a new understanding of what it means to be a spiritual being. The book begins with the 9-11 death of his girlfriend and ends as he finds a new love and builds a new life, one based in the belief that life is eternal.
2305435
This is one of my favorite books of all time, and believe me, I've read a lot of books.

There is so much more value here than you might expect from a book about a near-death experience (NDE). You will find it not only comforting with regard to death (your own or those you love) but it's an affirmation of life, and inspiring in general. Just as important, you'll find it helpful in many practical ways.

You can benefit from this book if:

- You or someone you know is facing death
- You're grieving the death of a loved one, including a pet
- You're facing illness of any kind, serious or otherwise
- You're experiencing challenging emotions such as depression or lack of interest in life
- You want to feel more whole, healthy, and vibrant
- You simply want to feel better in general ... happier, more at peace, more purposeful, etc.
- You would like an enlightened way to understand or experience life and your place in it

As you can see, I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. And it's a book that I envision myself reviewing periodically for my own benefit.

Anita begins by setting the stage with a brief biography of relevant parts of her life. She describes the experience of becoming incapacitated with terminal cancer, and I love that she describes its unfolding not only on the outside but from "the inside" as well.

But fairly quickly, she jumps right into the NDE. This is the part I want everyone to read who has ever lost anyone to death, or is facing it themselves. The way she describes it is breath-taking and eye-opening. It's beautiful, actually, and you'll never forget it.

And just as extraordinary is the explanation of how she then "came back" and proceeded to completely heal. Yes, completely! And how she learned to allow for this "unfolding of miracles" as she puts it.

So it's not just a book about death and what happens at that moment.

It's even more a book about life; about who and what you are; about healing and wholeness ... and about allowing your whole world to transform.

It's fascinating to read how you -- as your essence -- live even through death. And much more freely than you probably are now!

So how can you live with that same freedom even as you live your life?

In her quest to help others through her experience, she shares her thoughts about how you can apply what she's come to know.

From her expanded understanding of reality, she shares in a way that you can apply in everyday life:

- Why she got sick and how she healed
- How to connect with the soul of your magnificence
- Experiencing profound freedom in your life
- Trusting the wisdom of the infinite self
- What it means to Be (allow) vs. Do -- and thus experience vast inner peace and a beautiful flow in your life

You've really got to read it yourself since there's so much more to it than I could even put words to; pretty apropos given its expansive nature.

And I'm sure you'll find your own gems within it, probably new and different insights and practices each time you read it, depending on your perspectives at that time.

It's got a richness and depth to it that I enjoy applying and know I will for years to come.

Note: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for review purposes, and this review reflects my honest evaluation.
4734272
My husband died suddenly of a heart attack a little over a year ago.  A friend loaned me this book, and then I bought my own copy to read a second time.  I gave that copy away, and am thinking of buying another to read for a third time.

Joan Didion focuses on an aspect of grief that is explored only briefly in the other books I've read.  As the title states, this book covers in detail Didion's thinking process during the year following her husband's death.  How grief can cause a normally rational person to lose their ability to recognize cause and effect, to cloud one's ability to see the absurdity of their thinking, and to make them powerless to change their behavior, even when it becomes obvious that they are not thinking clearly.

This book is NOT about Didion's emotional response.  That aspect of her grief is implied throughout the book, but is rarely discussed directly.

The details of Didion's life during the year following her husband's death, and of her early years and married life, serve to illustrate her thinking process during this year.  The reader is allowed to follow her brain around for a year, and I found it fascinating.

I enjoyed the book not only for her honest and detailed observations, but because I recognized similar behavior's in my own life this past year.  Reading this book has helped me move forward with my life.  I am no longer trying to think my way out of my grief.  Now I try to let my brain work on finding ways  to treat myself with kindness and participate in activities that bring me joy.  I am still grieving for my husband, the tears haven't stopped, but I find it easier to accept that his death wasn't my fault and that he would want me to be happy.

If you have lost a life partner, someone who you spent most of your time with, a  person who was your friend, your companion, your lover, your best supporter and your best critic, you need to read this book.
4670856
Contrary to what might be expected, I look back on experiences that at the time seemed especially desolating and painful with particular satisfaction. Indeed, I can say with complete truthfulness that everything I have learned in my seventy-five years in this world, everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness, whether pursued or attained. ~ Malcolm Muggeridge

My dad survived throat cancer and dealt with a lot of suffering from the chemotherapy. When he first became ill I remember asking God why he would give my dad throat cancer when my father is a preacher and missionary and has served God for most of his life. To be frank, I felt it was unfair. Now that his cancer has returned and is in his lungs he is again going through chemotherapy. As many have experienced, I again questioned God and also felt overwhelmed with the world's suffering which mostly seems born of the evil actions of mankind. So with this happening in my life I read "If God Is Good" with a troubled heart.

While many have found this book comforting, I found it unsettling. Each time the author mentioned another person suffering or another individual being murdered or abused I felt myself becoming angry. Then Randy Alcorn would explain the reasons for the tragedy and I'd feel a little better. This went on through the entire book right up until the last chapter. I literally had to force myself to read this book because it dealt so deeply with things I have been thinking about recently.

If you wish for a peaceful world some of the realities in this book will frustrate you as they did me. Randy Alcorn presents case after case of evil's destructive influence. Then Randy says: "If God allowed less evil in the world, there would also be less good." While this is hard to believe at first it does start to make some sense as you finish the book.

So while reading this book did not put my mind at ease, I have lots to think about. No matter what anyone says about evil and suffering I've decided that the only thing we can really do is to accept that bad things are going to happen and that somehow we have to trust that God knows what he is doing when he allows illness, early death and grief.

When I look back at my own short life there were many times when I suffered emotionally and I can truly say it was for the best. Through suffering I've become a better person even though at the times I was in pain I thought nothing worse could ever happen to me. In retrospect, all the bad things I thought were happening to me actually turned out to be the best things that could ever happen. If I had married the man I thought I was supposed to marry my life would have turned out rather different. So while the rejection made me feel like the world was ending, now I am totally thankful for what happened. When you are in a bad situation you may think the pain will never end, but it does eventually even if it takes years.

~The Rebecca Review
4616497
If we live on this earth, we will all experience loss.  Sometimes we wade into the losses that we experience while other times, we dive right in, experiencing the loss of family members or friends who are close to us.  When we experience loss and dive into a time of grief, how do we appropriately wade through it?  How do we venture through grief, especially when our society seems to want to push past it and not even address it?

H. Norman Wright has experienced loss of his own.  He lost his 22 year old son who was severely disabled and his wife who succumbed to breast cancer.  It is out of the depths of this loss that Wright is able to write and share.  He is not coming in as a counseling or therapy expert alone, he is able to share his thoughts and guidance through grief because he has personally experienced deep and painful loss himself.  His voice of experience speaks volumes when it comes to grief.

This book is laid out in such a way that it can serve as a handbook, so you can pick and choose the chapters that may be more applicable to your own experience if you don't want to read the whole book.  There are insights throughout the book on the journey through grief, tucked in among the specific chapters.  Wright starts out with an overview of the world and process of grief and then walks through chapters that deal with specific losses such as the loss of a spouse, the loss of a child, the loss of a parent, and the loss of a sibling.  Wright even adds chapters on losing friends and pets (as pet lovers can attest to the fact that pets become part of your family).

Part of the strength of this book is the permission that Wright gives to the reader/grieving one.  He says, Everyone grieves differently, and there isn't one right way to grieve.  Never compare your grief with anothers; your grief is uniquely your own.  He talks about the potential physical implications that will be seen as one journeys through grief, the complexity of emotions that will be experienced, and some helpful hints as to how to make the journey less bumpy.  He wouldnt go so far as to say that the journey through grief is easy, but his suggestions can at least help to ease the pain a little.

Throughout the chapters, there are questions that can be asked by the reader (or others) to try to explore and even get to the heart of grief.  Wright offers advice from others who have written on the subject of grief and includes helpful Scripture references that may bring salve to the wounds of grief that are experienced.

Wrights style of writing is such that you almost feel yourself reliving some of your own losses as he describes the emotions experienced.  I felt myself knotting up inside as I read through some of the implications of losing parents.  Wrights experience in loss is an asset for him as he doesnt describe the process of grief in psychological jargon but in conversational prose.  He makes a connection with his reader with this approach.  The only criticisms that I have for the book are that it can feel a little overlong if you read it from front to back rather than using it as a manual.  The other criticism is that there are times when the scriptural reference seem rather forced or obligatory rather than flowing naturally out of an essential part of coping with loss.  A deeper theological treatment of grief would have been helpful.

Besides those few critiques, the book was good.  Its a book that I could easily recommend, in sum or in part, to someone who has experienced grief and is looking for some answers for their own coping.  If you know of someone who has experienced the loss of a family member or if you have experienced that loss, you might give Wright a try.

(This review is based upon a copy of this book which was provided free of charge from Bethany House Publishers.  These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.)
3510166
I'm willing to bet that whoever wrote the editorial review for Publisher's Weekly (above) has never known the crushing agony of losing someone to death that s/he truly loved; or suffered the kind of pain that still drops you to your knees, years, even decades later, begging for mercy. The kind of anguish where you'd gladly give your own life just to make it stop. The kind you bear when you know they are never coming back and there is nothing you can do. I'm very happy for that reviewer. I hope he or she will never know it. But Heart of Grief must be read by those who understand all too well the overwhelming tidal wave of hopelessness that accompanies the loss of a loved one. Where Publisher's Weekly found this book simplistic, I found beauty in its quiet simplicity.

Being of a metaphysical sort, I've read just about all the reincarnation / life after death / love never dies / hypnotic regression / soul mates for eternity / communicating with the dead / type books. I've been spellbound by all of them and will probably continue to read them as they are published because it's a fascinating subject. Besides helping us to understand the process of dying and what comes after, these books pledge that we will someday be reunited. They all assure us that the deceased are still very much alive and well and with us daily, so there is no need to grieve. But they also often come with the stipulation that we must let go so that our loved ones can move forward, and because we want what is best for those we love, we attempt to suppress our grief, no matter how much it hurts us. While the theory seems reasonable, by trying to ignore our suffering, we compound it. We cannot stop the hurt just because we want to. It's not an electrical switch. It's not a water faucet. And it's just not that easy. Grief is complex, binding us with ropes so twisted we cannot seem to find the end that will untangle us.

Heart of Grief shows us that we do not have to let go, and in fact, encourages us not to. With compassion and a comforting voice, Thomas Attig sets forth practical ways to keep and strengthen the bonds of love with those who have died. I found it to be a very spiritually healing and uplifting book that has made a dent in my grief and a difference in my life.
4345736
I'm one of the "baby boom" generation, we who once shouted "never trust anyone over twenty-five!"  And now we are in our forties, fifties, and sixties, often facing alone the crisis of the death of a parent or loved one.  Our culture has ill prepared us for this passage, a society that dwells on youth and so carefully hides away death.  I lost both of my parents several years back and only wish I had first read Ms. Hill's book, it would have served as a guide, and reaffirmed as well the rightness of decisions I made for the sake of my mother and father.  It is not a book about death, it is a book about living and sharing to the fullest one's final journey with a parent.

I will freely admit I wept repeatedly as I read Ms. Hill's beautifully crafted tome which honors and celebrates her mother's final months.  Reading it made me realize that so much of what I experienced was valid, that I was not alone in my feelings and gave me new and hopeful insights into my own life and the spiritual journey of my mother and father.

If you just read these reviews and do not buy the book, please heed her advice from this reviewer.  Listen to your parents now, talk with them, share and recall all the moments, good and bad, and fight with all your passion to insure their time of passage is a time that is respectful of their dignity.  Though I do hope you purchase this work even though the subject might be the last one on your mind at this moment.  For someday it will occupy your life front and center and Ms. Hill is a guide you can turn to and trust.
3663602
This is not a story in itself, although a story is told as you read it, but rather a collection of thoughts and feelings as author Carol Scibelli shares moments in her life following the death of her husband.

What happens when you unexpectedly lose your life partner at a young age? From the early shock to dating again, this book opens up Carol's thoughts and feelings, so that we join her on the journey.

As a pastor, I am always looking into resources and ways to help others cope, so I was especially grateful to receive a gift of this book by the author to add to my library.

I was reminded of many things, but three stick out at the moment
Everyone has their own timeline for grief, and even when you think you are doing well, little things can throw you into a tailspin
Having friends who understand and accept you right where you are is important
Being single again doesn't change who you are, but it may change how you operate

While this might benefit some grieving widows (after the initial grieving period), I strongly recommend it for friends of those who have lost a loved one to help them better understand what may be going on and perhaps even to open up conversation.

Just a reminder if you do choose to share this with a widow
Read it first - and be willing to discuss it. Or better yet, buy a second copy and read it together.
A book, no matter how tenderly funny and appropriate does not substitute for true friendship and time spent together.

My heart broke with her on her loss, and I celebrated each step of the journey she shared. I trust that you will appreciate it in the same way.