One of the first books to be published in the UK on bereavement, this ground-breaking study presents the results of a survey of widows in London. Focussing on younger women whose husbands had died the book deals first with grief and mourning then examines the consequences of bereavement through the help of relatives and friends and the changes it brings about to the widow's family life. Throughout the book the consequences of widowhood are discussed with relevance to psychological theory and to national policy. Originally published in 1958.

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How do older women come to terms with widowhood? Are they vulnerable or courageous, predictable or creative in dealing with this life challenge? Most books about widows usually focus on younger women; this book interweaves the voices of older widows their experiences and insights to show how they have come to terms with widowhood and have recreated their lives in new, unsuspected ways. The widows speak about how they relate to their children, their friends, to men. With powerful emotions they describe their husbands’ final illnesses and deaths, and the challenging early days of widowhood. Disputing stereotypes about older women and widows, The Widowed Self allows the reader to visualize the impact of losing one’s life partner and offers a new way of thinking about widowhood. This new book by Deborah Kestin van den Hoonaard fills a void in previous work on widowhood. Rather than seeing these women as unfortunate, passive victims of life, the reader will come to appreciate the strength and creativity with which these women face one of life’s greatest challenges, a challenge that affects more than half of all women over the age of sixty-five. Widows and their families, scholars, social workers and other professionals who work with older adults will all be interested in reading The Widowed Self: The Older Woman’s Journey through Widowhood.

Guides readers through the emotions and practical concerns of finding love after the death of a partner. Romantic love, in all its permutations, forms one of the most fascinating of human interactions. It also can be one of life’s thorniest challenges, especially in a world where relationships often unfold online and, recently, where a pandemic barred face-to-face contact with people outside one’s immediate household. Among those seeking romance in increasing numbers is a group that stands apart: the women who, slammed by the death of a spouse, bravely pursue new love. Finding Love After Loss: A Relationship Roadmap for Widows goes to the trenches to interview widows who have embarked, nervously but with hope, on this quest. Their frank and revealing interviews, along with wisdom from relationship experts, provide guidance to other women trying to navigate the relationship scene when their last date might have been decades ago. Where do widows find new partners? How much should they share in their online profile? What do they tell their friends and family? What about getting naked for the first time with a new man? Who pays when the bill appears at a restaurant? More than any time in U.S. history, the country’s widows are seeking another chance at romance. The sheer number of widows—11 million, with an average age in the fifties—makes them a formidable force. They are living longer and have broader views on sex and money. Yet it is difficult for them to find their footing. Many of them have been away from the courtship arena for decades. They may make their return to dating with children and in-laws in tow. They are confused by the new rules and unclear on the expectations but convinced that they are capable of loving again. This book, written by a widow and a co-author who dated a widower, details just how powerful, sometimes daunting, and exhilarating the journey to new love can be. It also unveils the extraordinary ways that widows are reshaping the romance landscape: by tossing traditional marriage vows by the roadside, by skipping marriage entirely, or even by committing to a new partner but living apart. This isn’t your grandmother’s widowhood scene, not by a long shot. Finding Love After Loss examines the crazy, sad, and even zany contributions that people left behind by the death of a partner bring to new relationships. At the same time, it reveals both the amazing resilience of women who have lived through great loss and the irresistible pull of human connection.

This unique textbook synthesizes the information available on the topic of widowhood, presenting and then debunking a number of myths surrounding widowhood. The book begins with a definition of basic concepts, followed by a comparative and historical perspective on the situation of widows in several countries and selected communities in the United States. It then explores a range of subjects and issues including emotions, identity, roles and external relationships of widows from cross-cultural perspectives.

With After Loss, Linda Donovan provides a compassionate approach to help people rebuild their lives while tending to their grief. Linda experienced grief when she lost her husband to cancer. She offers deep insight from her perspective as a grief-support volunteer for hospice, where she has helped countless widows, widowers, partners, and their families. Linda shares how you can work through your grief and move forward at a comfortable pace. Through her own personal experience, best practices, and creative exercises, she lays out a road map to assist you in adjusting to your new life.

A heartbreaking doctor's visit. A fate she never saw coming. She’d dig deep for the strength she so desperately needed… Seattle, 2015. Jenny Lisk was happy with a perfectly normal, busy life. But after the usual bustling week, Friday night turned from downtime into mild alarm when her forty-three-year-old spouse shared that he’d been feeling dizzy. And after ten days of his condition steadily worsening, she still wasn’t prepared for the stunning news: He was terminally ill. Reeling from his diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumor, Jenny suddenly became not only a wife, mother, and career woman, but also a cancer-patient caregiver and parent of grieving children. And her many fears and uncertainties swirled around one relentless question: Did she have what it takes to help her young family survive? Through a vulnerable, honest account of preparing for the death of a loved one, Jenny shares tips and information about childhood grief, how to be there for mourning friends, and ways online communities provide essential support. And for those who feel lost and alone, or are grappling with any kind of loss, her deeply personal journey provides a universal beacon of hope. Future Widow: Losing My Husband, Saving My Family, and Finding My Voice is a brave and raw narrative that doesn’t pull any punches on the realities of caregiving and bereavement. If you like captivating stories, authentic inspiration, and understanding the grieving process, then you’ll find encouragement in Jenny Lisk’s touching memoir. Buy Future Widow to rebuild a life today! Praise for Future Widow: "This book is one you never want to have to read. It's also the book everyone should read." --From the Foreword by Jana DeCristofaro, LCSW, The Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families "A poignant memoir and de facto guide for caring for a loved one." --BJ Miller, MD, Hospice & Palliative Medicine Physician "Frank, tender, real, and ultimately optimistic, Future Widow is the ultimate gift for someone going through the unthinkable." --Julie Lythcott-Haims, New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult and Real American “It’s been said that one person’s survival story becomes another person’s survival guide. With Future Widow Jenny Lisk has written that and so much more. This isn’t just a story of surviving—it’s also a story of thriving.” --Gina Warner, Founder, Badass Women’s Book Club "Riveting, real and all too relatable, the kind of stuff you tell your friend in a late-night call when no one can hear you cry. Stunning.” --Leslie Gray Streeter, author of Black Widow

An evening dining out with the family in New York City escalates into a feast of vicious innuendo and subtle cruelty for Laura Maldonado Clapper, her husband, her browbeaten daughter, her flamboyant brother, and an editor she has not seen in over a year.

This volume is an important contribution to the social and cultural history of the family and documents that widowhood and orphanhood were commonplace before the twentieth century. How did the survivors cope with such tragedy? What kind of support did they receive from their community and relatives? How many widows remarried? How many children grew up as step-children or wards? And how did these circumstances influence their futures? While individual stories are frequent themes in literature, the social history of these experiences has yet to be written, especially from a comparative perspective. The 16 essays in this book provide a fresh look at the family history of widowhood and orphanhood in a dozen European and Asian countries.