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The Heart Does Break: Canadian Writers on Grief and Mourning
A book in which some of our best writers address their own losses — and help us endure our own…
A heartbreaking, comforting and beautiful collection of true stories about grief and mourning from some of Canada’s best known writers.
When Jean Baird’s daughter, Bronwyn, died suddenly, Jean’s deep instinct was to turn to books to help her in her time of sudden loss. Although she found that the thoughts of counselors, psychologists, Buddhists, and self-help gurus were perhaps some help, the works that truly reached to the heart of the matter were by literary writers, largely from the UK and the US. Scanning the Canadian landscape, Jean and her husband George Bowering found elegies and tributes, but little from our writers about the person who is left behind to mourn or what it takes to endure grieving. The Heart Does Break — an anthology of twenty original pieces — sets out to fill that gap.
A heartbreaking, comforting and beautiful collection of true stories about grief and mourning from some of Canada’s best known writers.
When Jean Baird’s daughter, Bronwyn, died suddenly, Jean’s deep instinct was to turn to books to help her in her time of sudden loss. Although she found that the thoughts of counselors, psychologists, Buddhists, and self-help gurus were perhaps some help, the works that truly reached to the heart of the matter were by literary writers, largely from the UK and the US. Scanning the Canadian landscape, Jean and her husband George Bowering found elegies and tributes, but little from our writers about the person who is left behind to mourn or what it takes to endure grieving. The Heart Does Break — an anthology of twenty original pieces — sets out to fill that gap.
- GenresGriefMemoirNonfiction
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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64 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 31, 2010
A collection by Canadian writers about loss and grieving. This was a really beautiful collection, even though some of the essays were hard to read. I have long been fascinated by grief, and by the way that humans deal with loss, and the way it is taboo to talk about loss and grief in Canadian culture. So this book was quite inspirational, and I'm going to write my column about it this week.
August 21, 2019
A collection of meditations by twenty Canadian writers and the people close to them that they grieve, from grandparents, parents, spouses, siblings, children, to friends. The assertion that all
grieve their own way and in their own time holds true.
grieve their own way and in their own time holds true.
May 17, 2013
Some of Canada’s best known writers tell us their stories about coping with grief and mourning. Each of us addresses his/her loss in a different way, but not many can write about it and share what it is truly like, so that in the telling, they may help others.
The impetus for this book comes from the author Jean Baird, who lost her thirty five year old daughter Bronwyn tragically in a car accident. In trying to cope with this sudden and unexpected loss, she turned to the usual array of supports: grief counselors, psychologists, religion and self-help groups. But she found the most comfort in the writing of others who had been able to articulate and write about their grief.
With her husband George Bowering, she has collected a group of nineteen original essays from this group of Canadian writers, all writing from the perspective of the one left behind. Each writer brings his own individual experience to this unending struggle to understand and cope with grief, and in the end despite floundering, to carry on. They write from a range of emotions: joy, anger, humour and wisdom. No two people seem to experience grief in the same way.
These pieces are all well written. It is a tough and difficult subject and each has dealt honestly and openly about their feelings and experiences.
Uncomfortable but powerful reading.
The impetus for this book comes from the author Jean Baird, who lost her thirty five year old daughter Bronwyn tragically in a car accident. In trying to cope with this sudden and unexpected loss, she turned to the usual array of supports: grief counselors, psychologists, religion and self-help groups. But she found the most comfort in the writing of others who had been able to articulate and write about their grief.
With her husband George Bowering, she has collected a group of nineteen original essays from this group of Canadian writers, all writing from the perspective of the one left behind. Each writer brings his own individual experience to this unending struggle to understand and cope with grief, and in the end despite floundering, to carry on. They write from a range of emotions: joy, anger, humour and wisdom. No two people seem to experience grief in the same way.
These pieces are all well written. It is a tough and difficult subject and each has dealt honestly and openly about their feelings and experiences.
Uncomfortable but powerful reading.
April 11, 2020
A wonderful, wonderful book not to be ignored or treated lightly. A true bird's-eye view into the introspective, talented writer's perspectives on death, dying, emotion and loss.
This was the most profound read for me of any following the death of two close relatives; t resonated with me very deeply. Even grief counselling did not comfort me as much as the voices of writers chronicling their personal experiences of grief.
One of my writing teachers, bp Nichol, is discussed in this book, and it's title is also in one of his poems. His firstborn died very suddenly. He himself died at 44 <3
The heart DOES break, but, mysteriously, more love seems to get in that way.
This was the most profound read for me of any following the death of two close relatives; t resonated with me very deeply. Even grief counselling did not comfort me as much as the voices of writers chronicling their personal experiences of grief.
One of my writing teachers, bp Nichol, is discussed in this book, and it's title is also in one of his poems. His firstborn died very suddenly. He himself died at 44 <3
The heart DOES break, but, mysteriously, more love seems to get in that way.
February 17, 2021
Stopped on page 91.
March 29, 2016
Excellent! I love pretty much everything about George Bowering and his writing. An important compilation of narratives that cause you to embrace and relax into your journey of loss. This collection captures how each one of us grieves solo.
August 8, 2014
Interesting collection. I found it helpful in gaining a much needed perspective on grieving and how individual grief is for each person.
September 4, 2015
There is something for everyone in this book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews