Book of the Week

The book of the week for July 21-28 is A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis. Lewis manages to convey so accurately the sense of loss, loneliness, fear, doubt and even rage that inevitably comes with the loss of a loved one. The book itself is a collection of journal entries, written by Lewis in the months following his wife’s death. The forward, by Madeleine L’Engle, and the introduction by Lewis’s step-son are both well written pieces that provide the reader with enough context to accurately reflect on Lewis’s grief and his writing.

However, what is most profound in the book is that A Grief Observed is not only a book that should be read following the death of a loved one, but really could be applied during any time of grieving. Lewis astutely observes that death and loss and fear all move together and so the reader leaves with a great understanding of what bereavement and grief really are and how they move in one’s life.

In addition to being read alone this book would be valuable in small group or support group setting. Regardless it is $10 that you will not regret spending.