Our Mothers' Spirits: Great Writers on the Death of Mothers and the Grief of Men Hardback - 1997

Much has been written abou the complicated relationship between mothers and their daughters. However, upon the tragic death of Princess Diana, the world turned its eyes to her grieving sons. What legacy did this young mother -- perhaps the world's most famous womann -- leave the young princes William and Harry? The worldwide outpouring of grief that accompanied the unexpected passing of this beautiful and dynamic woman brought to the fore for each of us our own complicated feelings toward our mothers.

It is the enduring bond between mothers and their sons that is explored in this astounding, emotion-packed collection of essays and poems. Editor Bob Blauner has assembled a diverse group of writers on a topic shared by them all: Their sorrow upon the death of a mother and what it means to continue on without her physical presence.

Featured works form some of our greatest writers, including John Updike, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Gus Lee, Russel Baker aned John Cheever, this heartfelt anthology also includes original and provocative essays by some of America's rising stars, such as Peter Najarian and Juan Felipe Harris. Issues such as the loss of a mother who dies too young or, in contrast, the painful sight of an aging mother in decline are explored with great insight. Whether the end comes naturally, through euthanasia or tragically and unexpectedly, how the loss is experienced is handled with great sensitivity.

Our Mothers' Spirits is a collection of personal narratives in which each man tells the story of his mother's life and death. For it is only upon death that we are enabled to see life as a whole. A highly emotional event whether we are 12 years old or 50 years old, a mother's demise causes us to question our values, our reasons for existence. Although this momentous rite of passage certainly transforms each of us, the message of this compassionate, deeply moving book is that a mother's passing does not end our relationship with her -- for her identity has become our own, our life her greatest gift.