Synopses & Reviews
Shortly before her death in 2004, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler, her collaborator, completed the manuscript for this, her final book.
On Grief and Grieving is a fitting completion to her work. Thirty-six years and sixteen books ago, Kübler-Ross's groundbreaking
On Death and Dying changed the way we talk about the end of life. Now
On Grief and Grieving will profoundly influence the way we experience the process of grief.
On Death and Dying began as a theoretical book, an interdisciplinary study of our fear of death and our inevitable acceptance of it. It introduced the world to the now-famous five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. On Grief and Grieving applies these stages to the process of grieving and weaves together theory, inspiration, and practical advice, all based on Kübler-Ross's and Kessler's professional and personal experiences, and is filled with brief, topic-driven stories. It includes sections on sadness, hauntings, dreams, coping, children, healing, isolation, and even the subject of sex during grief.
"I know death is close," Kübler-Ross says at the end of the book, "but not quite yet. I lie here like so many people over the years, in a bed surrounded by flowers and looking out a big window....I now know that the purpose of my life is more than these stages....It is not just about the life lost but also the life lived."
In one of their final writing sessions, Kübler-Ross told Kessler, "The last nine years have taught me patience, and the weaker and more bed-bound I become, the more I'm learning about receiving love."
On Grief and Grieving is Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's final legacy, one that brings her life's work profoundly full circle.
Review
"Elisabeth Kuebler-Ross left us one last gift, and it's a masterpiece. Having illumined the subject of death, she has now illumined the subject of grief. She and grief expert David Kessler have written a modern classic, the kind of book that all of us will want to keep on our bookshelves because we know it speaks to our deepest hearts."
-- Marianne Williamson
Review
"Elisabeth Kuebler-Ross deserves to be remembered because her life and work have made this world a better place.
On Grief and Grieving is a heartfelt tribute to all who have lost a loved one, from a woman who changed our lives by changing our relationship to death and dying. What a wonderful book Elisabeth and David have written."
-- Caroline Myss
Synopsis
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler explain how Kubler-Ross's famous Five Stage of Dying apply directly to mourners themselves, in this, her final book, completed shortly before her death, combining practical wisdom, case studies, the authors' own experiences and spiritual insight to explain how the process of grieving help us to live with loss.
About the Author
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. (July 8, 1926 – August 24, 2004) was a Swiss-born psychiatrist, humanitarian and co-founder of the hospice movement around the world. She was also the author of the groundbreaking book
On Death and Dying (1969), which first discussed The Five Stages of Grief. Elisabeth authored 24 books in 36 languages and brought comfort to millions of people coping with their own deaths or the death of a loved one. Elisabeth's passions included working with terminally ill children, AIDS patients, and the elderly, amongst others. Her greatest professional legacy includes teaching the practice of humane care for the dying and the importance of sharing unconditional love.
Elisabeth is a 2007 inductee into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and Time Magazine named her one of the 100 greatest thinkers of the 20th century. Her work continues by the efforts of hundreds of organizations around the world including, The Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation: <>David Kessler is the coauthor of Life Lessons: Two Experts on Death and Dying Teach Us About the Mysteries of Life and Living. On his own, he is the author of The Needs of the Dying, which received praise from Mother Teresa and has been translated into eleven languages. He is a nationally recognized leader in the field of hospice and palliative care.
Table of Contents
Contents Authors' Note
Preface: "I Am Done"
Introduction: Anticipatory Grief
1. The Five Stages of Grief
Denial Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
2. The Inner World of Grief
Your loss Relief
Emotional rest
Regrets
Tears
Angels
Dreams
Hauntings
Roles
The story
Fault
Resentment
Other losses
Life beliefs
Isolation
Secrets
Punishment
Control
Fantasy
Strength
Afterlife
3. The Outer World of Grief
Anniversaries Sex
Your body and your health
So much to do
Clothes and possessions
Holidays
Letter writing
Finances
Age
Closure
4. Specific Circumstances
Children Multiple losses
Disasters
Suicide
Alzheimers disease
Sudden death
5. The Changing Face of Grief
6. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross: My Own Grief
7. David Kessler: My Own Grief
Afterword: The Gift of Grief
Acknowledgments