Theresa Tyner
Theresa Tyner is the Director of Library Services at Crawfordsville District Public Library.
The past couple of years have felt like one long season of global grief. While grappling with personal sorrows, we have also been immersed in news of heartbreaking national and global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic deaths, the Uvalde mass shooting and other mass shootings, and atrocities committed in the war in Ukraine.
The recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II seems to inhabit both dimensions of grief, as she has been mourned by nations and yet her death seems very personal to so many who grew up with her or admired her.
Books can be a great comfort in times of sorrow; they allow us to recognize our struggle and sadness in someone else’s story. They might also give us tips on how to move through our own grief or how to offer comfort to someone else in theirs.
Books can provide ways to connect with children and open a dialog with them when death enters their lives. Children’s books on the topic include: “The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise,” by Dan Gemeinhart (j FIC Gem); “Do Fish Sleep?” by Jens Raschke (j FIC Ras); and “Going to a Funeral,” by Daryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira (J 393.93 Riv).
Sometimes fiction books provide the best solace for a grief-stricken heart; titles available at CDPL are: “First Person Singular: Stories,” by Haruki Murakami (FIC Mur); “American Grief in Four Stages: Stories,” by Sadie Hoagland (FIC Hoa); “The Music of Bees: A Novel,” by Eileen Garvin (FIC Gar); “And the Stars Kept Watch,” by Peter Friedrichs (FIC Fri); and “Dear Edward: A Novel,” by Ann Napolitano (FIC Nap).
Guidance on ways to take care of yourself during the grieving process and finding meaning in the death of a beloved person is offered in a plethora of books, such as: “The Grief Handbook: A Guide Through the Worst Days of Your Life,” by Bridget McNulty (155.9 McN); “Notes on Grief,” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (155.9 Adi); “Self-care for Grief: 100 Practices for Healing During Times of Loss,” by Nneka Okona (155.9 Oko); “Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief,” by David Kessler (155.937 Kes); “Finding Refuge: Heart Work for Healing Collective Grief,” by Michelle Johnson (204 Joh); “Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole,” by Susan Cain (155.2 Cai); and “Death and Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: Field Notes from the Death Dialogues Project,” by Becky Aud-Jennison (155.937 Aud).
Nonfiction titles about death itself or memoirs about suffering through the death of a loved one and its aftermath may be of help: “On Death and Dying,” by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (155.937 Ros) and “From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death,” by Caitlin Doughty (363.75 Dou); “Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir,” by Tyler Feder (YA 362.175 Fed); and “The Widower’s Notebook: A Memoir,” by Jonathan Santlofer (921 SANTLOFER, J.).
Books for teens that offer a view of how other teens—fictionally–handle grief are: “The Lucky Ones,” by Liz Lawson (YA FIC Law); “How to Make Friends with the Dark,” by Kathleen Glasgow (YA FIC Gla); “The Lucky List,” by Rachael Lippincott (YA FIC Lip); “The Astonishing Color of After,” by Emily X. R. Pan (YA FIC Pan); “Goodbye Days: A Novel,” by Jeff Zentner (YA FIC Zen); and “The Boy in the Black Suit,” by Jason Reynolds (YA FIC Rey).
Sometimes the best way to grieve for others is to remember them as they were, appreciate all they did, and just celebrate their very existence. The library has several books and video recordings about Queen Elizabeth II and the amazing life she led, including: “Queen of Our Times: The Life of Queen Elizabeth II,” by Robert Hardman (921 Elizabeth II); “HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style,” by Elizabeth Holmes (941.085092 Hol); ”The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor–the Truth and the Turmoil,” by Tina Brown (920 Bro); and ”In Their Own Words: Queen Elizabeth II” (DVD 941.085 In).
Fictionalized depictions of the Queen’s life can also be celebratory: the best known may be the historical drama television series, “The Crown” (DVD FIC Cro). And believe it or not, there is also a mystery series that features Queen Elizabeth II as an amateur detective. The first title in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series is “The Windsor Knot: A Novel,” by S.J. Bennett (FIC Ben).
Many of these titles and others on these topics are also available through our digital download services, OverDrive or Hoopla.
Also, no matter how you react to a person’s death over the short or long term, please note that books are not a replacement for medically-necessary therapy or medical care. If you or someone you know needs help, please seek help from your doctor or obtain free, confidential support from a trained counselor 24/7 through Indiana’s Be Well Crisis Helpline — just call 211 (or 866-211-9966), enter your zip code, follow the prompts, and select number 3 for the helpline.
If you need assistance locating or using the resources or titles listed in this article, please contact the helpful library staff in the Reference Department at 765-362-2242, ext. 117, or ref@cdpl.lib.in.us.
