Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing

I found out about this book from my pastor. He said it would help and it did. The book offers a map of grief. It shows what it is, the path it takes, what makes it worse or better and importantly what we do to get through it. I needed a map and I got it. The best thing about this book was that it affirmed the actions that I have been taking after the death and showed me, as a man, how that was actually a way of healing. This book is a breath of fresh air compared to the more feminine you gotta "talk and cry" kinds of books. I had been getting pressure from my wife and others about not dealing with things. This book has helped me explain to them that I am indeed dealing with things but in my own way. This would be a great book for women to help them understand the men they love.Don't be confused by all of the references to "This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title." The second edition on this page IS the same as the first edition PLUS an extra section. All of the comments on this page refer to both editions. I was confused about this and checked with the publisher before buying.

Thomas R. Golden's "Swallowed by a Snake" is by far one of the best books on grief that I have ever read. And because the book is primarily geared towards those with a masculine style of grieving (activity and future-oriented), as a man, I could immediately identify with what Golden had to say.This book is very readable and could be helpful to anyone (man or woman) who has more of a masculine orientation to their grieving style. It is not biased towards any particular religios pursuasion but at the same time, could be thought of as very spiritual. I recommend it as an addition to any church, synagogue, or mosque library collection.As a reader, it was quite obvious to me that Golden "knew his stuff" when it came to the topic of masculine grief. His many years of experience in grief counseling and his own grieving process helped shape this very powerful, highly communicative, and empathetic book.I recommend "Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing" especially to readers who have been recently bereaved (either through death or some other loss). But I also recommend it to those who are revisiting a loss that might have occurred years ago.This is one of those books you probably will have trouble putting down.

Not every man is "a man's man." Nor is every woman "feminine" through and through. But many men, and some women, are decidedly masculine in their ways of coping with loss. To some they may appear not to be grieving at all when in fact they are grieving differently. This book is perhaps the best in the field about these differences (not so much dwelling in or voicing painful emotion but rather finding meaningful things to do and looking toward the future). It contains wonderful treatments of myths and rituals from native cultures centering on "masculine" patterns of grieving. Swallowed by a Snake will be helpful for men (and for women, too) who want to understand the "masculine" side of their own grieving. And for those who want to understand and support those who grieve in these "masculine" ways.

Following the death of my youngest son and mother in the period of 4 days, I eventually went into a mental tailspin. Even with great therapy, I was grasping to seek meaning where none existed for me and to fill the void that was being created within me as the garbage of a lifetime was being exposed and expunged. SWALLOWED BY A SNAKE was one of the first books I picked up. Using native American rituals for healing and folkloric tales from around the world, Mr. Golden opened my eyes to potentials I had not previously considered possible.In trying to heal myself, in attempting to assuage my grief, particularly for the untimely loss of my son, I decided to use Mr. Golden's example of the Amrican Indian practice of tree wounding. And as the tree, a large beech visible from our porch, healed over, I felt my personal grief decreasing simultaneously. The tree is healed; so am I. And while it took a full year to accomplish, it now serves as a wonderful reminder of my son.The folksy manner of his telling, the relevance of his examples and the common sense that pervades the book allows me to recommend SWALLOWED BY A SNAKE for anyone in need of a healing of body or mind. While subtitled for men, it is a universal treatise that is just as appropriate for women. Additionally, women with men in their lives who are in need of healing should read the book to help them understand what their men are undergoing.Men can cry. They can express emotions openly. Thomas Golden's book is a wonderful aid in that expression.

As a bereavement specialist for 25 years this is simply the best book we've ever seen for men and for women whose men are grieving. Fun, easy reading as well as gracious and good. A wonderful resource and a great gift.