Love Letters; Reflections on Living With Loss [Paperback]

Andris A. Baltins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2007

Profound loneliness and confusion often follow the death of a loved one. Author Andris A. Baltins unexpectedly lost Nancy his best friend, childhood sweetheart, wife, and the mother of their children to ovarian cancer. These letters to Nancy following her death share an intimate story of recovery from loss and the enduring presence of love. Baltins felt called to write the book as a necessary process of working through her death, and what he was to make of himself after she had gone. Many of the author s experiences particularly some of the rituals can be of benefit to others and his wish is to share them with a larger audience who find themselves in the unthinkable situation of having lost a life-partner or someone very close to them.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This beautiful book familiarizes us with the fact that our loved ones must die but they do not cease to exist. They are deeply alive in us, in others and around us. The book teaches us to appreciate our loved ones and express our appreciation of them before it is too late. This means to live in mindfulness every day of our lives. --Thich Nhat Hanh

Love Letters, a series of thirty-nine stories written by author Andris A. Baltins to his deceased wife Nancy who has lost her battle with cancer, is a compelling book that gives us glimpses of despair, hope, and acceptance. The reader is taken on a roller coaster ride as he reads and responds to these different emotions. As Baltins remembers certain events in his life with his wife, he writes her a letter and it would appear that his wife is at his side as he asks her questions and solicits her comments on past events. Sometimes he tells her of his dealings with other people and again asks if he did the right thing. When the pain is most excruciating, writings by Nancy show how she accepts her cancer as fate. As such, she deals with the illness on a heroic level. One of the most beautiful parts of the story deals with Mac, their son, who has Down Syndrome yet seems to have faith and understanding far beyond the so-called normal people. Baltins does not come across as perfect in these letters. He sometimes has a hard time dealing with Mac and his slowness, but he is reminded that Mac s mom treated him in a way that they both could accept. The book is very easy to read and gives the reader a sense of how to deal with a loss that is almost unthinkable yet one that happens every day. This is a must read for anyone who has lost a loved one and is having a hard time dealing with the consequences. --MyShelf.com

About the Author

Andris A. Baltins is a graduate of Yale University and University of Minnesota Law School. He practices business law and serves on the boards of various public, private, and not-for-profit companies. He and his wife Nancy to whom this book is written and who died shortly before their twenty-eighth wedding anniversary have two children. Born of Latvian immigrants, Andris lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Del Mar, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Syren Book Company (February 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0929636708
• ISBN-13: 978-0929636702
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #625,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this gem -- you'll be glad you did, April 12, 2009

By 

James D. Cover "GotchaCovered" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love Letters; Reflections on Living With Loss (Paperback)

After the death of my wife I've read many excellent and moving books on grief and recovery but none better than this. An exceptionally insightful author and accomplished wordsmith, I found the book impossible to put down once I read his first letter. The model he gives us in his struggle to find meaning is one that will inform, instruct, and enrich anyone who reads this book. It is unfortunate that the manuscript was not picked up by a major publisher who could give it needed promotion and distribution. Love Letters should be read by both men and women who have suffered the loss of a loved one. It belongs in every library's collection.