Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal journey, and finding the right support can make all the difference. HIA Hospice has carefully curated a list of books and authors that are respected for their insightful, compassionate and practical guidance during times of loss. Whether you’re seeking comfort, understanding or practical advice on navigating your grief, the resources below offer a range of perspectives and experiences to help illuminate your path toward healing.
Adults
Grief & Loss
- A Mother’s Reckoning by Sue Klebold
- A to Z Healing Toolbox by Susan Hannifin-MacNab
- Coping with Your Grief: A Guide for the Bereaved Survivor by Bob Baugher, Ph.D.
- Don’t Ask for the Dead Man’s Golf Clubs by Kelly Lynn
- Grievers Ask: Answers to Questions about Death and Loss by Harold Ivan Smith
- Healing After Loss by Martha Hickman
- Helping the Grieving Student by The Dougy Center
- How To Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies by Theresa A. Rando, Ph.D.
- Liberating Losses by Jennifer Elison
- Living with Grief: After Sudden Loss by Kenneth Doka
- Surviving a Sibling by Scott Mastley
- Surviving the Death of a Sibling by TJ Wray
- Swallowed by a Snake by Thomas Golden
- The Grieving Brain by Mary-Francis O’Connor
- The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Health & Medical Topics
- Being a Wounded Healer by Douglas C Smith
- Letting Go of Fear, Anger and Addiction by Barb Rogers
Inspirational
- Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I’ve Loved by Kate Bowler
- Feel, A Collection of Liturgies Offering Hope for Every Complicated Emotion by Anjuli Paschall
- Limping with God: Jacob & The Old Testament Guide to Messy Discipleship by Chad Bird
- Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life by Marjorie J. Thompson, forward by Henri J.M. Nowen
- Soul Full, A Weekly Devotional to Nourish the Mind, Body and Spirit by Farrel Mason
- Speaking in Tears by Grace Andren
- The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie
- The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri J.M. Nouwen
- The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar The Grouch): Lessons from a Life in Feathers by Caroll Spinney with J. Milligan
- There is No Good Card for This by Kelsey Crowe
- Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering by Timothy Keller
- You Are The Beloved: 365 Daily Readings and Meditations for Spiritual Living: A Devotional by Henri J.M. Nouwen
Loss of a Child
- Helping Your Marriage Survive the Death of a Child by Paul Rosenblatt
- Your Guide to Miscarriage & Pregnancy Loss by Kate White
Loss of a Parent
- Comfort for the Grieving Adult Child’s Heart by Gary Roe
- Midlife Orphan by Jane Brooks
Loss of a Spouse
- ABC’s of Widowhood by Pat Nowak
- It’s Okay to Laugh by Nora McInerny
- When Your Spouse Dies by Cathleen Curry
- Widow to Widow by Genevieve Ginsburg
- Widow’s Journey by Xenia Rose
- Widowed by Dr. Joyce Brothers
- A Handbook for Widowers by Centering Corp, Ed Ames
Men’s Grief
- Into the Cave: When Men Grieve by Ronald Petrie
- A Handbook for Widowers by Centering Corp, Ed Ames
Parental Issues
- Teen Grief by Gary Roe
- The Journey Through Grief and Loss: Helping Yourself and Your Child When Grief Is Shared by Robert Zucker, MA, LCSW
Special Needs
- Helping People with Developmental Disabilities Mourn by Marc Markell
Suicide
- After Suicide Loss by Bob Baugher, Ph.D.
Children
Coping / Adjustment
- The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
- The Memory Box: A Book About Grief by Joanna Rowland
- Today, I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis
- When Dinosaurs Die by Laurie Krasny Brown
- Where Do Balloons Go? by Jamie Lee Curtis
Faith Themed
- God Gave Us Heaven by Lisa Tawn Bergren
- The Next Place by Warren Hanson
- What Happens When We Die? A Journey to Heaven by Patricia May
- What is Heaven Like? by Beverly Lewis
General Loss
- My Friend, Matilda by Ben Keckler
- Sad Isn’t Bad by Michaelene Mundy
- Tear Soup by Pat Schwiebert
- The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr
- What Does Grief Feel Like? by Korie Leigh
- When Someone Dies by Andrea Dorn
Grandparent Loss
- Anna’s Corn by Barbara Santucci
Inspirational
- Beginning: Encouragement at the Start of Something New by Warren Hanson
- The Blue Day Book for Kids by Bradley Greive
Parent Loss
- If You Listen by Charlotte Zolotow
Pre-death, Saying Good-bye
- Thank You, Grandpa by Lynn Plourde
- The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
Sibling Loss
- Dancing on the Moon by Janice Roper
- We were gonna have a baby, but we had and angel instead by Pat Schwiebert
Teens
Faith Themed
- Heaven is for Real by Todd & Sonja Burpo
Parent Loss
- From Here to There by Ben Keckler
Recommended Authors on Grief
- Alan Wolfelt
- Harold Ivan Smith
- Ira Byock
- James Miller
- Ken Doka
- Maggie Calanan
- Robert Niemyer
- Therese Rando