Widowed

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Having for years advised women on how to face widowhood or other grievously damaging emotional experiments, popular psychologist Brothers ( What Every Woman Should Know About Love and Marriage ) here recounts how she rebuilt her own life after briefly considering suicide upon the 1989 death by cancer of her husband of 39 years. Accepting pain, the author asserts, is the first step toward healing. And although she describes the generally recognized stages of mourning, Brothers emphasizes that the intensity and duration of each stage vary greatly with the individual. Of particular interest to widows are her astute reflections on sex and remarriage based on candidly recalled incidents of her own widowhood, and practical tips on how to ``join the parade of life again.'' This is a self-help guide of inestimable value. First serial to Good Housekeeping; Literary Guild alternate. (Nov.)

Library Journal

The noted psychologist shares her experiences as a widow in this personal account of loss and loneliness. Bereft of her beloved husband, who died at age 62 after an 18-month struggle with bladder cancer, Brothers floundered--uncertain of herself, assaulted by feelings of self-pity and anger. Professional achievement and national recognition did not shield her from severe emotional trauma: here she displays an amazing lack of self-confidence and vulnerability, evident in touching descriptions of her inability to perform simple chores. The book includes a chapter with coping tips for the widow and another containing succinct suggestions for friends and acquaintances. Though neither as trenchant as Lynn Caine's Being a Widow ( LJ 10/1/88) nor as practical as Philomene Gates's Suddenly Alone ( LJ 5/1/90), it will undoubtedly gain a large readership on the basis of Brothers's well-earned reputation.-- Carol R. Glatt, VA Medical Ctr. Lib., Philadelphia