Customer Reviews

When a Man Faces Grief / A Man You Know Is Grieving

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the most concise and useful books on grief that I have ever read. Although the volume is small, it packs a powerful message of healing for those using a more masculine way of grieving (usually men but also some women) and for friends and loved ones of the bereaved.

The book is divided into two parts. The first half seeks to assist the bereaved themselves; the second half seeks to educate those who are around the bereaved person (usually a male) in order to assist him through the grief process. Thomas R. Golden is listed as first author of the first half of the book; James E. Miller is listed as first author of the second half.

"When a Man Faces Grief/ A Man You Know is Grieving" is unique in the way it is set up: The front cover shows a winter scene of snow-covered trees; the back cover shows the photographic negative of that same scene. The reader will also notice that the after finishing the first half of the book ("When a Man Faces Grief"), the second half is printed upside down. To read the second half ("A Man You Know is Grieving"), the reader closes the book and flips the entire volume over towards himself or herself to the cover with the photographic negative.

Each half consists of twelve, 2-page chapters, followed by a short summary list of ideas.

While reading this book, I was reminded of Alla Renee Bozarth's, "A Journey Through Grief." However, the Golden/Miller book concerns itself with the more masculine kind of grieving. And whereas Bozarth's book is geared almost exclusively for the bereaved, Golden and Miller's book is also for those who are around the bereaved person.

This book is very readable. It is similar to Thomas R. Golden's more in depth "Swallowed By a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing." However, I could definately recognize the presence of not one, but two male voices in Golden and Miller's jointly authored work.

I very much recommend this book, even though it is a small one that can be read very quickly.

As a man who has known grief, I can testify that this little book is a very useful tool for grieving men. It's size and writing style are right for someone in the throes of grief--simple and to the point. The two-sided format is an ingenious way to show that it addresses both men and those who know men who are grieving. I fully recommend this book as well as Tom Golden's other book on men and grieving, Swallowed by a Snake.

I don't like to give 5 stars to books. It seems people either give 1 or 5, and their reviews lack depth. However, I will give this 5 stars because it worked for me, and it has helped other friends of mine who faced loss. For me, I gave up a great, prestigous job due to stress. I didn't know how to handle it, and the grief of loss was MUCH bigger than I ever thought it would be. My wife and women at our church would add comforting comments, but it simple wasn't enough. They did not know the depth of my grief and the personal damage to my self esteem. A parish nurse gave me this book, and it laid out every emotion and coping skill that I was fumbling with to manage the grief of my job loss. Men do grieve much differently than women because their roles and the way they process things is much different than women. This book focuses on those uniquenesses, and does it with brevety and precision. Since I had my loss and recovery, I have becom a hospice volunteer at a large local hospital. I work mainly with men, and this book is like an operator's manual for a man's dying process. If you know what a man feels and from where he draws his final pride in life, you can help him in that process. The other great thing about this book is that it does not bog you down with clinical analysis or university studies. It gives you the facts and you can review it speedily whenever you need it. Get this book. You will never be sorry.

I lost my parents (and job) in the last year. I cannot see
anyone "Loving" this book but it has been a great help to
me, understanding what and how I can deal with my grief.

Hell on earth as now arrived in the form of overtly
incomprehensable evil in NY/WTC.

If I had the money I would donate thousands of these to
the brave souls working in and around america's second
perl harbor.

God Bless.

This book offers some practical things when dealing with grief from the loss of a love one. There is no magic bullet to eliminate the grief one feels when a close love one dies, but the things presented here should help with dealing with the grieving process.

This is an excellent resource for someone (particularly men) in grief.
It it brief,and to the point so therefore more likely to appeal to a man who isn't really into "self help tools". For someone wanting to support someone in grief but unsure how to go about it, if you turn the book over and begin friom the other side it is all there. So it is two books in one. I have used it and recommended it to many people.

Usually men like to read things that are short and to the point. This is a simple, quick help that is accurate to how men grieve, but also states how everyone grieves differently, and not all men are generalized into grieving the same way.

This book is wonderful for men who are grieving a death or loss. It is short, to the point, and covers two audiences--men who are grieving, or those who are trying to understand and help men who are grieving. It was recommended by a fantastic grief expert, Tom Golden and he was right on the money!

This book helps in so many capacities. Whether someone has passed away, and a man is going through grief, or it hits home with other losses. Including a job. It gently helps him understand what he is going through and how to cope with it. To know he isn't going crazy, but these are normal feelings and emotions.
The other side of the book helps everyone else help this man that is going through this grief. It helps a wife, girlfried, co-worker, etc. know what the man is going through and how they can help him. Or even just to understand him so that they can also know this is normal. Also, what to expect to happen next.

there's really not a lot to this little book. the 1/2 for helping men - is better than the half for grieving men, it really didn't help me that much, but I see how it might be helpful for someone helping a man - so it's worth it for that I think. it really didn't help me through this much.