The Grief Library helps readers find books that will carry them and create space for connection. Each month starts with a book review and reflection. Look for those on the first Fridays. You can read along and join the discussion in each post’s comments. Mid-month, I’ll share another meditation, whether through an essay, a list or a resource I’ve encountered. Subscribe if you’d like to receive these posts in your email.

Latest reflections

• On rereading and finding joy in difference

  I love returning to familiar stories. Sometimes it’s like visiting with a close friend who understands and loves me without judgment. A favorite book can be a restful escape, especially when I’m stressed or in a reading rut. And returning to a more philosophical story, like “The Giver,” is a chance to continue learning from it.

• The sister I brought to the book

  My sister Cristin’s birthday, Sept. 14, is sometimes a tougher milestone for me than her death anniversary. We were 14 months apart until time stopped for her. And she loved to remind me that I was the older sister, every year complaining about her age but following that lament with “but you’ll always be older than me!” And that gap increases annually; she remains 34, as I’ve turned 36, 40, 45.

• A singular grief can still resonate across circumstance

  C.S. Lewis is generally considered a giant of the Christian faith. “The Chronicles of Narnia” are beloved by children and adults alike for their allegory and adventure. (I find the allegory too on nose, but that’s one woman’s hot take.) “Mere Christianity” is iconic, one of those books I found on everyone’s shelves, including my…