Customer Reviews

Widowed

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If I were a writer I would have written the same words! Somehow when it happens to you, you think you are the only one it has happened to, but when you read the words of Dr. Brothers you realise other people have felt the same pain and somehow that brings comfort to the trials you are going through. I highly recomend this book to anyone feeling the lose of their husband.

It comforted me to know that a psychiatrist had felt the same feelings and fears as I had after losing my husband suddenly. Much of the advice and thoughts are very helpful, although geared more toward the older widow. (I was 40 when my husband passed away, he was 51.) I would recommend this book to anyone going through the grieving process of a spouse or partner.

Reading this book really brought home the universality of grieving but does not deny or minimize the indivduality of each person's timeline for grieving. As a widow who just passed the one year mark, I could identify with most of what Dr. Brothers experienced and it was reassuring to read a real-life account of widowhood. The section giving concrete suggestions of what to do for a grieving person is very helpful and struck a chord with me as many of the actions she recommends were done for me and proved extremely helpful.

Most self-help books for widows focus on ways to "get over" the grief. Dr. Brothers rightly says one never gets over the loneliness of widowhood, although it does lessen with time. She describes in detail the illness and death of her husband of 39 years, and her desperation and loss of purpose so common to those bereaved. It's easy to identify with her "two steps forward, one step back" progress, and and she is candid about her pain and suicidal thoughts. She wisely spends only a few pages at the end on the usual "tips" for getting on with life after loss.

This book is not just for widows; anyone who has lost a loved one will feel better after reading this book, just knowing that someone else has gone through it and shares your feelings. Her realization that the sharp pain had gradually, imperceptibly, lessened is realistic and heartening. Recommended.

My sister sent me this book after I'd been widowed for only a year. The timing was perfect--I don't think I could have read it before that time. Dr Brothers captured what I'd gone through with her personal experience. I saw myself on almost every page throughout the book. Excellent book to let you know that your feelings, while unique to you, are also universal.

I was widowed nine years ago. I was lost, because I depended so much on my husband's financial and emotional support. I was lucky, because he planned ahead. Reading this book helped me so much to learn to make decision, and manage my own financial. Since then, I have been buying these books to give to friends who also have met this situation. Unfortunately "widowed" of Dr. Joyce Brothers are no longer available in Manila, Philippines. J. Yao

As a recent widower, I found this a sensitive, well-written, helpful book. Robert B. Howard, MD

I am fairly young and recently widowed and I never would have thought I would get anything out of this book but I happened upon it in the bookstore and I was totally wrong. This is the first book that really hit home with me. I feel that a lot of the ideas that Dr. Joyce Brothers presented really validated my feelings and as a psychologist really explained it such as the scientific explanation of how tears help in the healing process. I definitely recommend it.

Having been recently widowed, I have read many books on the subject. This was one of the better ones. It was reassuring to find that even someone as knowledgeable as Dr. Brothers struggled with her own emotions when she became a widow. Much of the book is based on her personal experience of losing her husband to cancer, but she also offers some suggestions on coping strategies that could be helpful to anyone. It is a very easy read as well.

This was a gift for someone else, but I have read this book and learned a lot from it.