Life's Losses: Living Through Grief, Bereavement and Sudden Change

Jane Heath teaches psychology at Ryerson Polytechnical University in
Toronto.

Life’s Losses presents an encyclopedic compendium of the ways in which
individuals can be affected by loss. Loss is broadly categorized as loss
of a relationship (through death, divorce, estrangement), of a role, or
of personal potential. Within these categories the author discusses loss
of a parent, a child, a life companion, a pet, self, self-image,
neighborhood, youth, innocence, sexuality, health, and friendship.

Wylie’s own experiences with loss are described, as are those of
friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and bereaved individuals who wrote to
Wylie in response to her earlier writings on loss. The nature,
challenges, and opportunities of loss are discussed, from both Wylie’s
perspective and that of such authorities as Bowlby, Kьbler-Ross, and
Frankl. The recommendations for dealing with loss that are presented
range from the spiritual (meditation, religion) to the practical (an
electric blanket, comfort food).

Written in a chatty, colloquial style, Life’s Losses is well
organized and often moving. The broadness of its scope militates against
an in-depth treatment of individual topics. Those looking for an
informal and personalized introduction to the general topic of dealing
with loss will find the book useful. Those dealing with a particular,
immediate loss might benefit from a more focused approach relevant to
their own situation.