A Journey Through Grief: Notes from a Foreign Country

by James McGee and James McGee

On the premise that grief is a foreign country for most of us, the author takes the reader on a journey through the grief process as he attempts to move beyond the unexpected death of his wife just as... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1414002831
• ISBN13: 9781414002835
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: 1st Book Library
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Life-affirming

I cried, I laughed and I learned from the author what it is like to lose a loved one. The lessons he shared of how to get through a grief experience are tolerant and life-affirming.

Grief without illusions

Mr. McGee's search for understanding his persistent grief after the death of his wife documents a phenomena that is seldom discussed; he shared the common misunderstanding that grief is a process that we all must endeavor to navigate successfully within an expected range of emotion and time-line. When he continued to grieve with great intensity beyond what his culture had led him to expect was "normal" he then confronted the many myths facing all of us so unprepared to grieve our losses. Refreshingly, he describes survival in the context of his non-belief in God, thereby providing a rare comfort to those of us who are unable to seek consolation in religion. That he reaches the logical conclusion that death is inevitable and all must eventually survive grieving, he displays the very rationality that allows us to face the need and then gradually to make peace with a loss that never ends.

Memories of a loved one....

I particularly liked how the author presented the subject matter...extremely human. He weaved memories/recanted experiences with his wife with his present day feelings. It was very touching. If only we could have a marriage like he had.... The author comes to realize as written in his journal that he truly was a lucky man. There should be more books like this one..... For the truly wise person, I believe this book helps us appreciate our present day gifts/experiences.

more than I thought

McGee's book, detailing his grief after the death of his wife, is much more than I thought it would be. The author communicates the poignant and sometimes desperate pain of those left behind. His brief notes in a journal become a map for getting out of bed and going on with life. But more than being a book of helpful insights into a human soul in his darkest moments, this book is a love story. That is more than I thought it would be and that sets it apart from other books on loss and grief. We come to know his Peg, her humor and intelligence, and why he was so thoroughly devastated when she unexpectadly died. The passion of their life together is woven through the author's own grief and gives us a glimpse of their life together. No wonder he mourns her! This book is a must for anyone who loses a spouse.

What It Is Like

Although I was looking for more of a "how to" survive grief book this book accomplished that with the author's comments that tell what it is really like to lose a loved one. He offers 15 lessons he has learned about the grieving process that are very helpful. Unlike other books I have looked at, the author addresses both the religious and non-believers (he is the latter). The book is not gloomy but has flashes of real humor.