Healing the Pain of Pet Loss: Letters in Memoriam

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic book
Review: Being a man, it is hard to express emotions of pain. This book helped me understand my grief as perfectly acceptable and that there are other males who have faced this same kind of social misunderstanding and that it is normal and meaningful to mourn the loss of one of my best friends - my dog, Ranger. So many of us don't know until we lose our animal friends just how important they were in our lives. I will always be grateful to the friend who gave me this book as a gift - it helped me so much.

Rating:
Summary: Not Alone Anymore
Review: Finally I don't feel so weird about my feelings toward my rabbit. People made fun of me, but now I know I am ok and I will be able to get through this. Thank you.

Rating:
Summary: Not Alone Anymore
Review: Finally I don't feel so weird about my feelings toward my rabbit. People made fun of me, but now I know I am ok and I will be able to get through this. Thank you.

Rating:
Summary: Not for me
Review: I appreciate the other reviews I read and am glad these people found this book to their needs - but I did not. I just don't see how hearing about someone else's losses helps me - I am already bogged down in my own pain. Anyway - that's all I wanted to say.

Rating:
Summary: Not for me
Review: I appreciate the other reviews I read and am glad these people found this book to their needs - but I did not. I just don't see how hearing about someone else's losses helps me - I am already bogged down in my own pain. Anyway - that's all I wanted to say.

Rating:
Summary: Kinship with others
Review: Most people around me seem to be more polite than understanding when I talk about losing my dog, Lincoln. It doesn't matter anymore after reading this book. They don't understand the depth of our relationship, but the writers in this book do. I wish I had someone in person who knew, but going back to this book every once in a while gets me through. This book will be my rock as long as I need it.

Rating:
Summary: Kinship with others
Review: Most people around me seem to be more polite than understanding when I talk about losing my dog, Lincoln. It doesn't matter anymore after reading this book. They don't understand the depth of our relationship, but the writers in this book do. I wish I had someone in person who knew, but going back to this book every once in a while gets me through. This book will be my rock as long as I need it.

Rating:
Summary: Some letters in this book are good for the soul, but...
Review: This book consists of letters written by people who have lost a cherished animal, describing their feelings and the events surrounding the loss. Many of the letters comment on the inability of others to understand why they are so upset by the loss of a pet. "It's just a cat... or dog..." We live in a society which can scarcely allow people to grieve the loss of a beloved human, let alone a beloved animal -- indeed, mourners are expected to recover by the time the funeral is over. For the person grieving the loss of a cherished animal friend, there is no space to grieve and seldom adequate support from friends and families. Only someone who has been through it could possibly understand the extent of the loss, and many in our society never get that attached to an animal so they don't know how deeply the loss hurts. That is why the author compiled this collection of letters, because she could not find a book which helped or support from friends. She was right -- it is a helpful to hear the stories of others who loved their pets intensely, and to know that others have felt what we are feeling. The community of fellow-grievers in these letters provide a support group to help the reader deal with their own loss. In addition, there is a list of resources (including on-line resources and telephone support lines) in the appendix. This book would make a wonderful present from a caring friend for someone who is grieving intensely the loss of a pet. I highly recommend it and am grateful that this book was written.