Books on Grief for Parent Loss

Losing a parent can be an incredibly painful experience that can leave a profound void. This category offers resources to help navigate the complexities of grief associated with such a significant loss.

In H is for Hawk, Helen Macdonald chronicles her journey of grief following her father’s death as she attempts to train a goshawk named Mabel, exploring the intersection of loss, nature, and healing.

Featured Amazon review…

★★★★★ Gripped me like a hawk’s talon

Gripped me like a hawk’s talon and wouldn’t let me go until it was done with me. Multi-faceted memoir about hawks and grief and a lot more… One of my favourite writers.

In Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner shares a poignant exploration of her Asian-American identity and her intricate relationship with her mother. Growing up as the only Asian-American kid at school, she grapples with her mother’s expectations and the pain of adolescence, while also cherishing the moments spent in her grandmother’s apartment in Seoul, bonding over shared meals. When her mother is diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer at twenty-five, it compels Michelle to confront her cultural heritage and reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history that her mother instilled in her.

With humour and heart, Zauner weaves a narrative of grief and joy, highlighting the profound connections that food and memory can forge in the face of loss.

Featured Amazon review…

★★★★★ Beautifully written and helpful book

For anyone who has lost their own mother recently, it effectively covers the topic of grieving. This makes it an extremely valuable tool to navigate the process of grieving.

In The Long Goodbye, Meghan O’Rourke reflects on the profound impact of her mother’s death from cancer on Christmas Day in 2008. At thirty-two, O’Rourke navigates the complex emotions of grief, including feelings of rage at the loss and the silence surrounding it.

Through her personal recollections of her mother, she explores how her life fundamentally shifts in the wake of such a significant loss, revealing how familiar surroundings can feel both new and alien. Interweaving her experiences with a broader commentary on societal attitudes toward grief, O’Rourke examines the absence of rituals and understanding in contemporary culture, ultimately illustrating both the harsh and transformative aspects of mourning.

Featured Amazon review…

★★★★★ Reflective

A good book. Has helped me think about the loss of my own mother. It was comforting to be able to reflect and identify with the writer’s own feelings.

The Orphaned Adult addresses the profound challenges of losing parents as adults, a rite of passage that often proves more difficult than anticipated. Whether the loss is sudden or comes after a lengthy illness, this book validates the complex emotions that arise, regardless of one’s relationship with the deceased.

Through the author’s heartfelt experiences and the poignant stories of others, it explores the feelings of vulnerability, mortality, and shifting identities that accompany such loss. With compassionate insight, The Orphaned Adult serves as a comforting guide through the turbulent changes that follow, offering wisdom and reassurance during this transformative journey.

Featured Amazon review…

★★★★★ A very honest and helpful book

I found this book very helpful, particularly in the way it discusses the many aspects of grief and ways to approach them. The tone is warm and friendly and overall it was reassuring to read; I feel more able now to face the issues confronting me after the death of my mother last year.

The Orphaned Adult addresses the profound challenges of losing parents as adults, a rite of passage that often proves more difficult than anticipated. Whether the loss is sudden or comes after a lengthy illness, this book validates the complex emotions that arise, regardless of one’s relationship with the deceased.

Through the author’s heartfelt experiences and the poignant stories of others, it explores the feelings of vulnerability, mortality, and shifting identities that accompany such loss. With compassionate insight, The Orphaned Adult serves as a comforting guide through the turbulent changes that follow, offering wisdom and reassurance during this transformative journey.

Featured Amazon review…

★★★★★ Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is simply perfect

The book is so inspiring and truly moving. She explores the feelings related to the mourning of her beloved father in a way that really captures you and lifts up your spirit.
As a person who has gone through the same devastating event in life, this book is really great and touching.