Death Books

I bought this book for my husbands mother. She had a really hard time coping with the loss of our son. She felt like no one understood her and she herself could not understand some of her emotions. She would call me everyday to tell me what she had read and how similar the story was to ours. When she finished the book she seemed as if she understood now. She told me that we cant try to get over what happened but to interpret it into our lives.

Forgotten Tears: A Grandmother's
Journey Through Grief
by Nina Bennett
Booklocker.com
Genre: Autobiographical Grief Memoir
ISBN: 1591137640, $12.95, 144 pp, 2005

This book is about Nina Bennett's personal grief experience over the death of her granddaughter, Maddy Hodgdon, who died during childbirth. In this book she shares her knowledge as a healthcare professional (former childbirth educator and reproductive healthcare specialist) and she shares her inspiration as she works her way through the pain.

Nina wrote Forgotten Tears to help other grandparents with their personal grief while they try to help their bereaved child, and I think to help work through her own grief. Quoting from the back cover:

"Being a grieving grandparent means seeing your own child suffer and being powerless to help while experiencing the lack of support and understanding of your might-have-beens."

I personally don't dwell on "might-have-beens," for I see no point, except to make oneself unhappy, but who am I? Life goes on and so must we. Nina Bennett certainly makes it clear that grieving is a very personal thing with no time limits.

The author currently works in the HIV/AIDS field, where she has been employed since the beginning of the epidemic. She lectures and presents workshops, both locally and nationally, on the psychological aspects of living with HIV.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 1, 2006 - Copyright

Nina Bennett is a social services and healthcare professional who turned her deepest grief into something that helps others who have gone through or are going through the loss of a loved one. She wrote this book because she couldn't find many resources that focused on bereaved grandparents. She wanted to create something to help other grandparents who experience the devastating loss that she went through. This book has much to offer not only to grandparents, but also to anyone grieving the loss of a loved one. It takes a brave and special person to be able to share something so deeply painful and personal with the public. And by doing so, Ms. Bennett memorialized her beloved granddaughter forever. This book is highly recommended.

Nina Bennett's book, Forgotten Tears, starts with her granddaughter Maddy's unexpected still birth. From this painful experience, she ultimately offers a sensitive and inclusive book on the subject of personal grief. She highlights a topic not often discussed: How grandparents' grief over the death of a grandchild is indeed sometimes forgotten, even though their grief is arduous.

The author artfully shares her struggle with grief until a sense of renewal reigns. Bennett is passionate about giving her grief meaningfulness to herself as well as helping others find their path alng the grief journey.

Included are individual stories, and suggestions to permit grief to forge character through redefining normal. Anyone experiencing loss of a loved one will benefit from this foundational book on grief. Excellent bibliography and resource section.

Judy Martin-Urban, author of I Can't Remember Me, inspirational nonfiction LangMarc Publishers May 2006 www.judeurbanski.com

Written by a bereaved grandmother who is also a healthcare professional (former childbirth educator and reproductive healthcare specialist, now working in the HIV/AIDS field), this is an intimate portrayal of her own grief journey following the unexpected stillbirth of her beloved granddaughter. The author manages to weave theoretical material about grief and mourning in and amongst her very private journal entries and personal experiences, which makes this work valuable not only to mothers and grandmothers but to mental health professionals as well. The book is clinically accurate and current, incorporating material from leading experts on bereavement as well as anecdotal experiences gathered from other bereaved grandparents, so that it will appeal to clinicians as well as members of the lay public. I especially appreciate how, through her own touching examples, this author gives bereaved families permission to keep the memory of their babies alive and to continue to develop a connection with them through the years. As Lorraine Hedtke so accurately observes (...), sadness is only one aspect of the complexity of grief, and remembering is what helps us manage our sorrow more effectively. I have listed this book on the pages of my Grief Healing Web site (...) as one I highly recommend to my site visitors, clients and colleagues.

I read this book three times and never get tired of it. It impressed me both as a teenager and as an adult when I could better appreciate the force of Nikos Kazantzakis' messages. Once you start reading his novels, you won't want to stop until you have read more. His range of topics is impressive.

I read this a number of years ago. It is not a paen to freedom, but a description of the hatred between the Cretans and the Turks made virtually unabateable by regligious prejudice and historic experience.

Today, it informs my view of the unabateable hatred in the Middle East.

The book is excellent. The characters are larger than life in their strengths and in their flaws--from the Homeric captains to the pitiful (not pitiable) Hadji, the Muslim fool unable to resist Captain Michaelis' demand to drink and who thereafter spreads dung on his head in further self-abasement and repentence.

Wonderful character development, a plat that moves and develops well, and an ending leaving food for thought in the early 21st Century on planet Earth.

In the island of Crete the Teacher was born. In the island of Crete where his people remained under Turkish occupation for more than two centuries. Is there a diamond in the greek history which cannot be linked to Crete? Incredulous one might remain to extreme stories described-imagined by Kazantzakis, but then let this "Thomas" read into the history of the Cretans, their constant revolts against Othoman occupation, their "aposyrsis" to the mountains where their life displayed the attrocious but noble feature of Freedom. Was/is it really the Turks? No, Kapetan Michalis was not the man to enjoy peace, war and fighting were his nature, there abolished he the tornment of having been given life. Kazantzakis shares: I asked my mother, "How was my grandfather?" "Like your father only darker." "What did he do? " "He fought." "And where there was no war?" "He smoked his pipe and looked at the mountains."

It is the nature of man, the nature of the warrior who restrained from life, restrained because life he has been given , choses he to continue by fighting... It is in this isolation of the self, in this denial of peace that man reaches the crest of alienation, the crest of silent freedom, Death...

This book is incredible. It is an accurate portrayal of Greeks because it was written by a Greek. "Freedom or Death" is too good to be out of print. This is one of Kazantzakis' best novels, even better than "Zorba." It needs to be put back into print, by gum!

Nikos Kazantzakis is one of the most under appreciated authors of the 20th century. The fact that this book, arguably his greatest work, is out of print is a prime example of that fact. Many readers have come to the mistaken conclusion that this book is primarily about the Greek, more specifically Cretan, struggle for freedom from Ottoman rule. The subject of this book is far greater. This book is truly about man's struggle for freedom from his own shortcomings. Some may even argue that Kazantzakis is seeking not only to define his own struggle, but also to understand his father. Captain Mihalis (The primary character in the books) is patterned after the author's own father.

I've had the opportunity to read this edition, and Greek editions of this book numerous times over the years, and have never grown tired of this book. I've come away with something new after each reading. I typically find myself conserving pages (reading slower) towards the end of this book because I don't want it to end. This is one of those books that will haunt you after you've read it.

Bill Dundee's story will move you in ways no novel can, and will educate you in ways no textbook can. This is a must read for any parent and all teenagers ready to take that first drink. Do yourself a favor and read this book, then do someone else a fovor and pass it on. Dr. Bill Sheehan

Bill and Sandi Dundee are people we all know. The tribute Bill writes for his daughter and the story of their illness, is a hardline, gut wrenching story. There are many smiles, in the book, and many tears. I think Sandi would have been proud of her Dad. Bill cuts no punches in his autobiography concerning alcoholism and how the effects are multi-generational. The only problem I had with this book was that it wasn't long enough. Once you pick it up, you won't lay it down until you reach the end. One of the best books on family alcoholism I have ever read.

Not only couldn't I put this book down,It blew me away.The raw rigorest honesty he shares,so openly of his daughters death,brought tears to my eyes,and a crack to my heart.As a father of four,Bills loss is my biggest nightmare.I had the honor of meeting Bill at"The Aroma Cafe"in studio City,Ca.I was not disapointed.Come to find out he's a spiritual speaker,and working on his next book,as well as the founder of"PIIETAA" Parents involved in educating teenagers about alcohol.Thank you Bill for your time and kind words.

Bill McPhie's book searches with simple candor for a reason why. The loss of a loved one is always painful, but to lose a daughter to despair after having beaten it yourself must be a haunting experience. At first there is numbness, then disbelief, then anger. Eventually, he hopes to accept and to learn from his tragic experience, and the wisdom he gained through great personal loss is our blessing. In the darkness of addiction, Bill's book stands as a beacon, dispensing empathy and hope in equal measure. This timely book touches on a severe problem in our country, and does so with wit and humilty, allowing us a view into a world few of us would survive. There are lessons here for everyone. A must read for all parents.

I read this book twice. If you are a recovering alcoholic, or someone in your family has a problem, you must read this book. It was sad, funny, insightful and most importantly, a real life story. One we've all been through, more or less. This is not a typical self-help book. It's the painful story of an alcoholic and his daughter. Mr. McGee is a wonderful writer and he weaves his story to capture the audience. This book is a must read. Katherine Hammontre

When a child has passed, the parents must deal with feelings of guilt and anger as well as the loss and emptiness. John and Eileen share their experiences and feelings after the loss of their beloved daughter Annie. They show us the depths of their despair and help us see that if they could find their way through it (with God's help), then we can also. I recommend this excellent guide to all those who have lost a child or a loved one.

The writer did an exemplary job relating one couples loss of their daughter and the grieving process that followed. I was delighted to read how God drew this couple to Himself by several different means: a dream, christian counselors, a poem and more. This book expresses the living hope that we can encounter and one couples discovery of how God can transform pain to the promise of His peace and love.

From reading this book we gained a new perspective of hope, persistence, love, and courage. While experiencing the grief and anquish of the lost of their child John and Eileen share their strength and hope in such a heartfelt way that other may also be able to recover from the pain of losing a loved one. We were greatly moved from reading this book.
Johnny and Ann Cutler
Plantation, FL

'Pain to Promise' is a well written narrative of one couple's experiences with the gift and the loss of their youngest child. Although I have not experienced this type of loss, I have neighbors who lost their son. It is often hard to know what to say to someone who is grieving. This book provides clear insight and allows the reader to empathize with those who have had similar losses. `Pain to Promise' allows the reader to journey with the parents as they address their questions regarding God, Christianity, and their bereavement. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a better understanding of grieving and loss.

This book is a beautiful bilingual book that is ideal for young students. It serves as a nice introduction to Day of The Dead, which is celebrated in Mexico, on November 2. The author fails to mention this in the book but instead makes a note of it in the authors notes. Therefore,for clarity, the adult might want to incorporate this fact into the storyline. Use of another book, like The Day of the Dead / Dia De Los Muertos or Mexican Day of the Dead as a supplement will enrich the students learning about Day of the Dead. The story is rather flat, as noted in one of the editorial reviews here but the salvation of the book are the rich illustrations. The artist when to great lengths to create dimension in the art, resulting in exquisite drawings that will captivate the young audience. The story evolves around young Rosita's loss of her mentor and grandmother to an undisclosed sickness. After she dies Rosita longs for abuelita(grandmother) and her grandfather(abuelito) and family teach Rosita how to honor the dead. They teach her about making abuelita's favorite goodies and making an offering to her spirit at home and at the graveyard. Rosita questions whether she will "encounter" abuelita or not but is eventually touched by her spirit. This is a very cool book that explains how grief for the departed is handled in Mexican culture. As stated the illustrations are magnificent and worth the price of the book alone. Bilingual students , or those learning a language, whose first language is either English or Spanish, will benefit from the text, if read to in both languages. Recommended for community and K-8 school libraries.

This book blends beautiful illustrations of artistic collages, with a touching story told from a young girl's perspective of losing her grandmother, and trying to find the perfect way to honor her beloved 'abuelita' on the Day of the Dead.
Teaching at middle school in a community of growing numbers of hispanics this story has helped teach cultural traditions to my students in a unique way. In reading this story along with videos and personal sharing from our Mexican students and teachers, ALL our students celebrated the Day of the Dead this school year with their own artwork and special foods and breads. Having this story told in both English and Spanish was truly an added bonus for our English Language Learners to enjoy.

This book is great for readers learning spanish or english. It has beautiful illustrations, and a great story that is based on an event that most children will have to face. The celebration of the day of the dead brings people closer to those who have passed away, and is a great idea to give to children.
Este libro es muy bueno para lectores más jovenes para aprender inglés o español. Tiene dibujos bonitas, y un gran cuento que es sobre un evento que muchos niños tendrán. La celebración del Dia de los Muertos traiga los personas muy cercas a los personas que son muertos, y es una buena idea dar los niños.

I purchased this book because of the outstanding, noteworthy illustrations and fell in love with the sensitivity of the text. I live in a community where the Day of the Dead is celebrated locally. I own several fiction and non-fiction books on the topic, which I use in my primary grade classroom. While other non-fiction children's books on the Day of the Dead do a better job of explaining what happens during this celebration, this is the only book I have found that explains on an emotional level why one would want to celebrate one's dead relatives.

Although the relationship between Rosalita and her grandmother is established too quickly to cause the reader any distress when she dies on the third page of the text, Rosalita's dilemma is made clear. She works through the process of remembering and grieving her "abuelita" (grandmother). She thinks about what she can place on the family altar to symbolize her relationship with her deceased grandmother. She wonders what it will feel like when her grandmother's spirit returns on the Day of the Dead. How she resolves these questions will beautifully explain to anyone outside of the culture why those who celebrate this holiday take the time to remember.

This coming together of a writer's story & the visions of an illustrator is perfect. A simple tale of sorrow, change, love & healing. There are skills & ideas tucked away inside this gift: of a child's grief over the death of her grandmother & of the everyday things they did together & how her people celebrate their loved ones memories with gifts & prayers.

A Gift for Abuelita/Un regalo para Abuelita is a treasure to be read again & again not just for the story. It is rich in detailed illustrations & the marriage of two languages telling the same story is a fine addition. For my full review do check out: [my website]

I knew Brock and Pam Yates throughout the awful illness of their son. When Pam said she wanted to write a book about it--pulling no punches--I feared it would be a plunge into general emotional blackness and the worst misery a parent can know. Nonetheless, I bought an early copy and am glad I did. This is not so much the story of a terminal cancer patient as it is the story of a mother trying to run the household with as much normalcy as possible, which, it turns out, is exactly what her son most wanted. This is not a tale of daily emotional breakdowns--hers, Brock's, or her son's--but rather a heartfelt shopping list of the dignified and compassionate things you can do daily to get through the one tragedy parents most fear. Every American has had a loved one succumb to cancer. Consider Pam Yates's book a primer on how to get through it--what to do not only for the patient but, just as important, what to do for yourself and your family.

This book was so moving it stayed with me well beyond finishing the book. You feel like you are there while everything is actually happening, and you experience the tight bond between this very brave family. It is a book that is definitely worth reading.

"The Gift of More" couldn't have come at a better time in my life. The faith I try to live by sometimes gets caught up and "fogotten" in everyday life. Pamela Yates has a way to make you feel like you are going through the entire process- from the first phone call, all the way to the end- right along with her. If you ever have doubts, or "forget" about a higher power, "The Gift of More" will make you remember that NOTHING is in our control. Especially with the recent hurricane Katrina, everyone could use a reminder right now that no matter what they are going through, life could be a lot worse. It reminded me to take time out from life's daily stresses and enjoy my son, and my family more, and THANK GOD for everything he has blessed me with. And whenever I seem to forget, or get caught up in life, I will be reading the book again. I definitely recommend reading "The Gift of More."

Inspirational is what in a few years I will say as I think back after reading `The Gift of More'. Somehow, right now, it sounds inadequate because of the impact it has had on my spirit. Pamela Yates draws you into her life and the loss of her son, Sean, in a strong, sensitive, and compelling way. She writes from every perspective, looking for answers wherever the questions take her. I felt like I was with her when she spoke to the doctors and the priests, and of course when she was in the little room that was her refuge. I was with her when she woke to find the mysterious markings that form an integral part of the story. I felt the joys and frustrations with the caregivers, doctors, nurses and the medical system. I was with Pamela at home, in the car, and at the hospital, with Stacy in the kitchen and on her shifts with Sean, and of course I was feeling her husband Brock's closeness and support, his gentleness and strength.

You will experience the wonder of the markings and a motivating journey of faith. Pamela didn't miss anything. Her story draws on spirituality at so many levels with insights that provoke an ongoing journey...one that you will be glad you were part of...visit [...]to read more.

'The Gift of More' is a must read for all. Pamela Yates turns a situation that most people fear into an inspirational and uplifiting story. Throughout the whole story you will feel like you are a part of her life as well as her families and you will feel the authors' emotions in yourself as you continue through the story. With her you will become sad, angry, confused, and learn to have faith. This book was one of the greatest books I have ever read. I just recently received it and from the moment I opened the front cover I couldn't put it down. Regardless of what types of books you normally read, 'The Gift of More' is a book for all kinds of readers. A must have in any library, public or personal!

This book came to me as a gift when I needed it most. My Mom had Alzheimer's and in the end was quite ill as well. When she died I saw it as a blessing and a joy. The relief I felt not having to worry about her anymore was immense. As callous as this sounds - and truly I don't mean it to be - I had no intention of grieving. I'd said goodbye to Mom a year earlier when I moved her into a retirement home, when the disease that was resident in her brain took hold with full force.

But Mom had other ideas for me. I ordered Amy's book and received it two weeks after my Mom passed away. The tears I'd been holding inside without even knowing they were there just flowed. Gifts of Passage is an insightful and brilliant book, and contains within its pages a message of hope and inspiration for the people who are left behind. People who need to carry on living but often have no idea how. This book shows us how. It teaches us to be aware and open to what our loved ones have left behind in order to help us cope.

It's a gem, and in every sense of the word, a true gift as well. I am a richer person for having read it.

Reviewed by LuAnn Morgan for RebeccasReads (5/08)

Reflecting on her father's death, Amy Hollingsworth felt he was giving her a gift with his passing. A word of encouragement, a sense of peace, a lesson to carry with her... it could be any or all of these or more.

To learn what the gift was, she spent a year studying the deaths of various people and what they left behind for their loved ones. She looked into the lives, words and works of such people as C.S. Lewis, Fred Rogers, the writers of "The Phantom of the Opera" and others. The result is the book "Gifts of Passage: What the Dying Tell Us with the Gifts They Leave Behind."

Hollingsworth found herself comparing her own experiences with others who had lost their own beloved friends and family members. She talks about the lessons she found through her studies and uses those same lessons to discover what her father left her.
Indeed, this was not a simple undertaking. Hollingsworth, who holds a master's degree in counseling psychology, used her profound faith in God to lead her through the study.
As she progressed, she found gifts could fall into several distinct categories - gifts of love, presence, "from My Father Figure," honor, intrigue and, of course, "from My Father." Each type of gift is purposeful, yet takes a certain amount of prayer and reflection to discover. These gifts provide a type of peace to allow survivors to heal and continue with their daily lives.

One of the most touching stories she shares is her interpretation of the gift left by Jesus to his own mother. As she faced the inevitability of his death, Jesus entrusted her care to another, providing her with someone to take his place in her life. Hollingsworth's description of the event not only helps the reader understand this portion of the story itself, it gives a new way to look at a familiar tale.

"Gifts of Passage" is filled with inspiring thoughts that will ease the pain of those facing the death of a loved one. I found it particularly poignant as I was led to reflect on the losses I have dealt with over the years, such as the deaths of my sister, father, grandparents and dear friends. I found myself considering what gifts they left for me with their passing. A wonderful adventure is in store for those who read "Gifts of Passage: What the Dying Tell Us with the Gifts They Leave Behind."

Gifts of Passage is a transparent and heart rendering journey through the process of grief. This book is not only for those mourning but for everyone who will experience the death of a loved one. It is insightful and thought provoking and enlightens us to other sometimes unseen events that occur during the dying process - they are the gifts left behind. I was especially moved by the "flying trapeze" section which shattered my own notions of living life to its fullest! Hollingsworth has laid open her own soul in this book to help others foresee and expect or to go back and find the gifts left behind. Highly recommended - unlike any other book I've ever read, this book will move you.

In "Gifts of Passage," Amy Hollingsworth has done a beautiful job of talking about the gifts the dying leave us in the form of life lessons, final gestures, and other gifts we might have a harder time recognizing.

Her observations will resonate with anyone who has lost a loved one, and you'll likely see a bit of yourself in her and in the vivid personalities she describes throughout the book. Hollingsworth mentions that if you're supposed to be with someone when they die, it seems to have a way of working itself out; she cites hospice workers who talk about people literally delaying their own deaths until a relative can arrive. Other times, someone will keep vigil for days at the bedside of a loved one, only to have them slip away in the brief span when the person goes out to stretch their legs or get a cup of coffee. It gave me an insight into why my stepfather had died alone, which I found very comforting, even 20 years after it happened.

"Gifts of Passage" is personal without ever seeming like an excersize in self-therapy. Amy Hollingsworth talks about her own insecurities and difficulties in her relationship with her father, but never in a way that seems over the top. Her writing reminds me very much of Henri J.M. Nouwen's in its vulerability, its depth, and in her ability to describe people in a vivid and three-dimensional manner.

I was deeply touched by her previous book, "The Simple Faith of Mr. Rogers," detailing her friendship with Fred Rogers in the last years of his life. "Gifts of Passage" is equally touching, and even more personal.

Many times after I've lost a loved one, I sensed that others just didn't quite know what to say. It seems that we live in such a busy society that death is briefly acknowledged, but rarely discussed or understood. I remember reading that our parents and grandparent's generations allowed and expected more time to the grieving process.

In our society where death and dying are often shoved under the rug
and not discussed, I found this to be a very uplifting and informative
book. It helped me to recall many wonderful gifts of passage that I have been given by loved ones who have passed. I believe it would make a wonderful gift for anyone who has lost a loved one, for church groups,and for grief support groups.

Mary Nix

This book has many compelling stories in it. I stayed up reading it until 2AM the first night and finished the whole book the second night. It shows that one way people can endure devastating loss is by using their creativity -- designing commemorative art and personal rituals and even by telling stories.

This book has many compelling stories in it. I stayed up reading it until 2AM the first night and finished the whole book the second night. It shows that one way people can endure devastating loss is by using their creativity -- designing commemorative art and personal rituals and even by telling stories.

There are some amazing stories in this book -- really inspiring. Very sad too. I actually cried at some points.

The book is mostly based on conversations with the bereaved who tell about how they responded to loss by creating personal rituals, or commemorative art projects, or telling stories. A lot of these creative responses are ways mourners can physically express their grief and are also ways of keeping the dead present in their lives.

There's a story about a woman who made her father's coffin out of wood. She tells how it was a very satisfying experience to make a safe space for him that would embrace him. There is another story about a woman who worked with a fabric artist to make a quilt out of pieces from her father's favorite old shirt and other fabrics that represent his life -- when she looks at it she thinks of him and remembers what he was like. And there is another story about a little girl who when she was told that her leukemia was terminal, said to her mother "I know how I want to die" and described, and basically staged, her own death scene. Also, there's a section about an entire community in Cape Cod that created many rituals and commemorative art projects when a local teenager died of cancer. There's also a story about a style of graffiti memorial murals painted in New York that was really touching. It made me think about the inner-city community in a new way.

I think it's a book that could help mourners and the dying realize that there are other people going through similar experiences as they are. And it could also give people experiencing loss good ideas about creative ways others have coped.

The authors seem to have gleaned many insights about grief and remembrance from their conversations with the bereaved whose inspiring stories are so compassionately presented in this book. The stories illustrate ways people have coped with death through the use of creativity -- crafting commemorative art, personal rituals and stories.

Although you can, of course, read the book cover to cover,you can also just pick it up and browse through it and read a story here and there. My favorite stories are: "The Sauna" (in Jesse's Story"); "Liza's Story" "Mourning Quilts: Portrait of a Personality/Sacred Fabric" "Crafting a Vessel for My Father" "Memorial Walls" "Music to Remember Him" and "One Hundred Stones for Grandfather."

I am a hospice worker and I couldn't agree more with the thesis of this book about the importance of creative responses to death -- both for the dying and for the bereaved. And the stories themselves are truly inspiring.

God a logs is a remarkable book and gives a new meaning to death and helps you understand death is just another wonderful aspect of life.

I was going to write a nice big review because I have read many of Sam Oliver's books and articles and have the highest regard for him and his work! However the first 3 reviews here have said it all. It doesn't get any better than the words they said. Not a cop out, just the facts. I really believe that this book will help you whether you have a loved one dying or just want to try his suggestions and journal for yourself on the blank pages. Just might become a lifelong habit and wonderful way to get in touch with yourself and God! This book will go far I predict! Don't take my word for it, get one for yourself. :-)

Thanks again Sam!

"Paying Attention..." This is what the book is all about. It is paying attention to the Wisdom that, or shall I say, Who dwells deep inside us and in the very center of our experiences.

For many years, Sam Oliver has been in the mission of caring for the dying. This sets the context of the book.

In this book, Sam gets into a different way of conversing with God. He prayerfully poses two questions to himself daily: "What do you want me to notice today?" and "How do I get there?" By posing those questions, Sam allows God to draw him to a particular truth or to a nugget of wisdom that he needs to see for that particular day. He also allows God to speak to him about it and to direct him on how to go about it. He doesn't only apply the wisdom received on his area of mission and in the dying process but he also implicitly looks deep into his own experiences to see God's wisdom revealed in the very fleeting lives of those entrusted to his care.

After each of his daily encounter with God, he invites his readers to step into their own souls and to allow God to draw them to His truth and His wisdom.

This book is, in fact, a good spiritual work book and to go through the questions each day heightens one's sensitivity to the voice of God that is very much present in one's own thoughts and feelings.

This book is truly recommended for those who take care of their dying loved ones. To take care and to see a loved one in the process of dying can be a heart-breaking and desolate experience and therefore, God can be experienced as distant and cold. But, in this book, Sam Oliver accompanies those who take care of those dying and shows them how they can have a deep and meaningful experience by paying attention to God's voice deep within them and to the Wisdom that is found in their painful experience.

It is amazing to think that at the bedside of a dying loved one, one can experience the warmth of God's embrace and the light of His countenance.

As Sam Oliver writes, "Dying people show us the way into eternity..."

"The need to protect [the] dying loved one or a patient wondering what is about to happen to them reveals a place where our relationships can be guided by the Creator of us all. Such a sacred space is where God can create a path that leads us all home -" p 220

Dr. Sam Oliver's book "God a Logs on Living and Dying" is a map through territory that few of us willingly enter. Through 46 days of meditation, the reader is led not just thourgh words but through experience and interactive meditation on the lessons of living learned from the dying.

Having lived through the experience of nursing two different family members in the months before their deaths, I believe this book offers the opportunity for family members to work through their own emotions, and better support and care for a dying loved on. However, though I can appreciate it now, it may have been too difficult at the time to step back and contemplate these lessons in those moments of adjustment and grief.

Hospice and aid workers who make a career of helping the dying have the most to gain from this journal and the most opportunity to learn from the wisdom Dr. Oliver shares in these pages.

Structured as a daily journal with ample space for the user to add thoughts, realizations, prayers, and other comments this is a book to be used and reused.

It's a gift to give to yourself. We are not very good at approaching death and as a result we are easily dismayed, discouraged, and knocked off the center by death. This book is an opportunity to grasp a lifeline thrown by God in the midst of some of the most turbulent times of our life without losing the center.

This book is a treasure for those seeking to capture their loved one's last moments of living on paper. This journal allows a person to record his or her thoughts about living and dying as directed by the still small voice within him or her. This book takes you on a journey into the heart and soul of guidance revealed by the very wisdom that has created us all. This journey inspires the reader of the devotion sections of the book to be inspired to write his or her own thoughts for the day on the next page. This allows the journal to be a vehicle for awakening the voice of God within you.

when you encounter a person or a situation that tries your patience. be thankful for them because they have given you a chance to practice your being patient and being compassionate.

This book is excellent! If you've ever had a loved one die, have thought about death yourself, wondered if the things you do in this lifetime will follow you to the next or just feel the need for comfort lately in this world of fast paced chaos, this book is a MUST READ! I promise you'll nota only enjoy it and find it very difficult to put down once you begin reading it, but you'll also want everyone you care about to read it as well. This book is easy to read, easy to understand and very well written! This one is staying with me forever!

Rimpoche Nawang Gehlek's _Good Life, Good Death: Tibetan Wisdom on Reincarnation_ is a humane account of the dying process, particularly of the very subtle experiences of death when a person's consciousness dissolves. Gelhek draws upon his own personal experiences with dying persons (through sixty-plus years of life) as well as the numerous Tibetan Buddhist texts that focus on death and dying. The latter tradition has a scientific precision in its analysis of death, furnishing valuable, specific information for any person, regardless of his or her religious beliefs. Rimpoche Nawang Gehlek's mix of personal experience and Buddhist empiricism makes for a wonderful book.

Rimpoche Nawang Gehlek is incredibly humble about his experiences. He explains in a frank manner how he came to his views on reincarnation and the dying process. His style is non-dogmatic, and his writing is easy to understand. For instance, he writes early in the book, "I'm not here to try to convince you about reincarnation. That's my culture, my system--not yours. I would simply like to ask you to entertain the idea for a moment, to give it the benefit of the doubt and see how it changes your perspective on your life and your death." In this context, he discusses the anxieties he had when he began his own investigation into the dying process, first as an eleven year old novice monk in a Tibetan monastery and then later as an adult living in America.

In an early chapter, he describes how frightened he was when he first heard Buddhist teachings on the lower realms: "I was crying constantly, day and night. I was soaked in tears from the fear of falling into the lower realms--and from a slightly artificial compassion at the thought of others falling into them." With similar candor, the book then describes methods to prepare for death, both when one is healthy and when one is at the actual time of death. These instructions about death, ironically, provide a manual for living a good, productive life, where fear is replaced by a well-trained mind and a positive, loving outlook.

Rimpoche Nawang Gehlek includes a long poem, entitled "Do the Meditation Rock," by his late friend Allen Ginsburg. This poem and Gehlek's reminiscence of Ginsberg's own death offer a vivid sense of what actually happens at death. At the conclusion of the book, he offers this simple advice for achieving a clear mind and outlook: "Keep a watch on anger, attachment, and Ego all day long." This is the root of the practice of training the mind.

As a complement to _Good Life, Good Death_, another excellent book with specific information about the dying process is Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's _Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully: The Profound Practice of Transference of Consciousness_. Geshe Kelsang's book outlines in even more detail--like an artist's fine brushstrokes on a canvas--the actual meditation practices a person can engage at his or her own time of death or to assist loved one's during this time.

_Good Life, Good Death_ contains priceless instructions, based on the accumulated wisdom of an on-going tradition of knowledge and the depth of personal experience.

This book is excellent! If you've ever had a loved one die, have thought about death yourself, wondered if the things you do in this lifetime will follow you to the next or just feel the need for comfort lately in this world of fast paced chaos, this book is a MUST READ! I promise you'll nota only enjoy it and find it very difficult to put down once you begin reading it, but you'll also want everyone you care about to read it as well. This book is easy to read, easy to understand and very well written! This one is staying with me forever!

Gelek Rimpoche's book is one of the most practical and relevant books that you will ever read. If you've ever wondered about reincarnation and what happens after death, you won't be disappointed. One of the best gifts that Gelek Rimpoche has is that he can take deep material and make it accessible - this book is very readable, and you will find no pretension in the prose - it is lucid, instructive and to the point. Throughout the book, the author's refreshing sense of humor manages to shine through. After dealing with death and the Tibetan take on the subject, we are then presented with practical advice and instructions on how to live and cope with this very precious life that we have been given. The book also includes a daily practice in the appendix. Gelek Rimpoche has written a book that is brilliant and useful; it is a book that I'm sure I'll re-read numerous times in the future.