Widowed (Mass Market Paperback)

by Joyce Brothers (Author) "Six years ago I devised an exercise I called " the widow game" to help Trudy, a woman I had known for several years..." (more)
Key Phrases: obsessive fan, Joyce Brothers, New York, Los Angeles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Having for years advised women on how to face widowhood or other grievously damaging emotional experiments, popular psychologist Brothers ( What Every Woman Should Know About Love and Marriage ) here recounts how she rebuilt her own life after briefly considering suicide upon the 1989 death by cancer of her husband of 39 years. Accepting pain, the author asserts, is the first step toward healing. And although she describes the generally recognized stages of mourning, Brothers emphasizes that the intensity and duration of each stage vary greatly with the individual. Of particular interest to widows are her astute reflections on sex and remarriage based on candidly recalled incidents of her own widowhood, and practical tips on how to "join the parade of life again." This is a self-help guide of inestimable value. First serial to Good Housekeeping; Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
The noted psychologist shares her experiences as a widow in this personal account of loss and loneliness. Bereft of her beloved husband, who died at age 62 after an 18-month struggle with bladder cancer, Brothers floundered--uncertain of herself, assaulted by feelings of self-pity and anger. Professional achievement and national recognition did not shield her from severe emotional trauma: here she displays an amazing lack of self-confidence and vulnerability, evident in touching descriptions of her inability to perform simple chores. The book includes a chapter with coping tips for the widow and another containing succinct suggestions for friends and acquaintances. Though neither as trenchant as Lynn Caine's Being a Widow ( LJ 10/1/88) nor as practical as Philomene Gates's Suddenly Alone ( LJ 5/1/90), it will undoubtedly gain a large readership on the basis of Brothers's well-earned reputation.
- Carol R. Glatt, VA Medical Ctr. Lib., Philadelphia
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (January 13, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345374002
• ISBN-13: 978-0345374004
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #297,981 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It Really Struck Home!, March 17, 2000

By A Customer

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.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read with great advice for the newly widowed.`, August 22, 1999

By A Customer

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "He is always with me.", June 18, 2006

By	Kona (Emerald City) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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.