Gift of Hope: How We Survive Our Tragedies

An excellent book for anyone searching for hope in a life that can often be painful and isolating. After the death of our son and then the subsequent birth of our daughter diagnosed with Down Syndrome, I was indeed in need of healing and guidance and hope. I devoured many books and found this one particularly...hopeful. I highly recommend it as reading for anyone and everyone.

I first read this book nearly ten years ago and it remains--in its paperback version--tucked among my favorite books in my library. The author writes with a clear capacity to relate to the reader, his words are comforting and poetic. It is the kind of book where you can flip open to any page and come away with wisdom and tender passages. You need not be suffering from some tragedy to find this book useful. It is a wonderful read for anybody who cares about the human condition. I am an author myself (my latest is "How to Say It to Your Kids!")and appreciate good writing. His book is one I will always keep. Do yourself a favor and buy this book. Dr. Paul Coleman, author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Intimacy"

I originally gave this book to my husband four years ago, when he lost both his step-father and his father within a year of each other. Just recently, I also lost my father unexpectedly. This book gives comfort to me when the tears start to flow and words can't express what I am going through. It clearly outlines the stages of grief, and it comforts through the many stories that the author weaves through the book of other's dealings with loss. It is a good book for those who feel overwhelmed with grief or any kind of loss, as you can read one story and put it down and then come back to it when you are ready. We all grieve so differently...