Living with Grief

Almost all of us, at some time in our lives, are cast into grief. Living with Grief begins by the author narrating how he was cast into grief by the early death of his son, followed by an analysis of the nature of grief. He then distinguishes between owning one’s grief and disowning it — putting it behind one — and explains why he has determined to own his grief, more specifically, to own it redemptively. In describing how he has struggled to own his grief redemptively, the author draws on the Christian tradition. The manuscript of the book was discussed by about twenty-five prisoners in the Handlon State Prison for Men (Michigan). The postlude of the book consists of letters by five of the prisoners describing how they own their grief redemptively in prison.