Upside Down

IN Upside Down, Jane Jonas reveals the journey she was forced to endure following the death of her husband of less than two and a half years. Fearing she would forget even the smallest detail of the short life they shared together, she recorded her memories. These, combined with entries from the grief journal she began the day of his death, form a tragic tale, but one that also expresses love and humor and involves intense soul searching. "I spiraled down into a grief-filled existence that lasted for six years," she says. This is not a self-help book but rather a narrative of survival in the face of loss. Heart-wrenchingly open and authentic, this book is essentially about a love story that ended too soon. "There is life after death," and Jonas illustrates this by outlining the steps she took to find her way back to living again. She does not offer advice but simply relates her experience with incredibly raw honesty and, in the end, offers hope by her assertion that she became a better person after all the suffering. No matter what the circumstance, starting over is difficult, but so much of what Jonas has written can help any reader who is trying to cope with tragedy or loss of any kind. The fact that she feels grateful for having such profound love in her life gives her book a happy ending.