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Leslie Odom Jr. recommended In My Father's House: Poems in Books (curated)

 
In My Father's House: Poems
In My Father's House: Poems
John Hodgen | 2020
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"My favorite book of poetry. Hodgen makes the ordinary and the plain profound again and again. We all struggle to come up with the words to attach to our grief, our confusion, our losses. Hodgen is not immune to the plight. You can feel and appreciate the effort. He wrestles each of the ingenious little masterpieces from the struggle and the search."

Source
  
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Richard Serra recommended On Grief and Reason in Books (curated)

 
On Grief and Reason
On Grief and Reason
Joseph Brodsky | 2021
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"“Grief and Reason” is the book I most often return to. It contemplates death as it has been presented in prose and poetry over the ages. The book continually asks the question of whether loss creates a sense of self or destroys it. It also poses the question of whether loss or mourning can bring forth a new artistic language."

Source
  
    After Forever

    After Forever

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    TV Show

    Brian and Jason had it all. Their love and their marriage were both supposed to last forever. But...

    The Starling (2021)

    The Starling (2021)

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    Movie

    After Lilly suffers a loss, a combative Starling takes nest beside her quiet home. The feisty bird...

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Hazel (1853 KP) rated This Shining Life in Books

Feb 15, 2021  
This Shining Life
This Shining Life
Harriet Kline | 2021 | Contemporary
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ollie's Dad died. Richard had an incurable brain tumour, and before he passed away, he sent everyone a special present. He also told Ollie that "being alive was like a puzzle and it was all falling into place." Ollie is autistic. He thinks his father left him a puzzle to solve. Could it involve the gifts? Why won't anyone help him solve the puzzle?

This Shining Life by Harriet Kline is a heartbreaking tale about a family coming to terms with death. Told from several people's point of view, Kline explores different portrayals of grief. Ollie's mum wants to stay in bed; his aunt wants life to carry on; his maternal grandmother tries to exert control; his paternal grandmother wishes she could understand her grandson; and his grandfather has no idea what is going on. No one has time for Ollie and his obsession with his puzzle.

Before Richard's death, Ollie dominated family life. Ollie had a strict routine, always had a few spare pairs of socks with him because he hated dirty ones, and had meltdowns if his parents used the "wrong" tone of voice. Without his familiar habits, Ollie's life was a mass of confusion - an apt metaphor for the grief the rest of the family experienced.

With a contemporary novel such as This Shining Life, there is no "happy ever after". People do not come back from the dead. There is no answer to the meaning of life. Grief is a long process and different for everyone. It causes depression, anger and confusion, but hidden under all these negative feelings is love.

Harriet Kline takes death and grief seriously but adds a touch of humour to the narrative for the reader's benefit. It is not a light read, nor is it markedly profound. Instead, This Shining Life is painfully honest, and for that reason, it is beautiful.
  
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Becs (244 KP) rated You Are Not Here in Books

Jan 2, 2020  
You Are Not Here
You Are Not Here
Samantha Schutz | 2010
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A breathtaking novel that will allow you to experience love and grief altogether.

I have only ever read a novel like You Are Not Here one other time. This is a novel yet in poetry form and I loved every second of it. I felt like I was Annaleah, living with the grief of losing a boyfriend right alongside her. I shed a few tears as parts were just heartbreaking and I laughed at others that were meant to be funny. This little novel is definitely one that I will be holding quite dear for the rest of my life and I can imagine myself reading it when I lost someone as dear to me as Brian was to Annaleah. 

You can read more of this review over on my blog: <a href="http://bookingwayreads.wordpress.com">Bookingway Reads</a>