What To Do When I'm Gone by Suzy Hopkins, Hallie Bateman (2018)

Subtitled: A Mother's Wisdom to Her Daughter

This is a slight but lovely graphic novel memoir by a mother and daughter and the step-to-step, day-to-day instructions for the daughter in the event of the mother's death. Sigh.

Gabriel: A Poem by Edward Hirsch (2014)

Lovely memoir in poetry about Edward Hirsch's son, who passed away from an overdose. 

The poem starts at Gabriel's funeral and goes through his death as well as Gabriel's very troubled life. Lyrical and sad, and very thoughtful about grief.

I adore this quote:

"I did not know the work of mourning
Is like carrying a bag of cement
Up a mountain at night ….
Look closely and you will see
Almost everyone is carrying bags
Of cement on their shoulders
That's why it takes courage
To get out of bed in the morning
And climb into the day." (p. 73)

Good Grief by Lolly Winston (2004)

It's been seven months since Sophie's husband's death--at 36, she's an awfully young widow and she's not coping well. The charm of this book is in Winston's skillful depiction of Sophie's offbeat sense of humor and hilarious inner monologues. An unexpectedly delightful book about death and loss.  Followed by Happiness Sold Separately, a lovely novel is about a wife who discovers her husband is having an affair (with his personal trainer) and the complications that result in their marriage and their life.