Hey everyone, I’m looking for my next book to read. I lost my twin to suicide a little under two months ago and it’s shaken up my life perspective.
Are there any of you out there that have undergone intense loss and found a book — non fiction or fiction — that have helped heal you? What would you recommend to me, as someone who is learning to embrace change and that hope still exists out there?
I think I prefer stories that are more upfront about society, the world we live in, and the lives we lead. I’m thinking more like Crying at H Mart and The Glass Castle. I’ve never been a fan of cheesy “life is better than it seems” books like Man Named Ove, Midnight Library, Under the Whispering Door, Remarkably Bright Creatures, etc.
It’s a highly specific request, but I think yall are the right community <3
by mari_bunni
3 Comments
Edit – sorry, just reread your post, and so sorry to hear about the loss of your twin <3 Since you lost a family member, this one may not feel like the right fit, but leaving it up for general reference.
I really liked Grief is for People, by Sloane Crosley, it’s about her experiencing a robbery and her friend’s death simultaneously and how the two losses blended together for her – it was powerful to read about the loss of a friend, since a lot of books on grief focus on family relationships. It’s a little irreverent but I loved it.
A Grief Observed by CS Lewis
I’m so sorry for what you’re going through. Please take care of yourself.
To deal with my own trauma, the most effective treatment I found was EMDR therapy, which is detailed in the book Every Memory Deserves Respect by Deborah Korn.
**If you’re interested in memoirs by people who’ve experienced trauma, you may want to check out:**
What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Hello Molly by Molly Shannon
Finding Me by Viola Davis
**If you’re interested in more therapy books I’ve found useful over the years:**
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook by Matthew McKay
Coping Skills by Faith G. Harper
The Negative Thoughts Workbook by David A. Clark
PTSD Sourcebook by Glenn R. Schiraldi
It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn
The Mindful Self Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff
Chatter by Ethan Kross
Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts by Sarah M. Winston
The Self Compassion Workbook by Joy Johnson
Mastering Intrusive Thoughts by Artem Kudelia
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
**And if you’re interested in some I haven’t read yet but seem potentially useful:**
The Great Book of Journaling by Eric Maisel
The Resilience Workbook by Glenn R. Schiraldi
Developing Resilience by Michael Neenan
Hell Yeah Self Care by Alex Iantaffi
How to Grow Through What You Go Through by Jodie Cariss
The Finding Solid Ground Program Workbook by Ruth Lanius
The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook by Kathryn Hope Gordon
Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation by Suzette Boon
**Additionally, a BookRiot list of memoirs about people recovering from trauma:**
https://bookriot.com/memoirs-about-trauma/