Feelings of sadness can arise for all sorts of different reasons, that aren't always known to us. Whether connected to depression, grief and loss, or existential questioning, feelings of sadness can drain us of our energy and impact our ability to cope with day to day living. Here is a list of books related to sadness that might provide some insight into the origins of your feelings, and offer ways to navigate it and get the support you need.
These titles have been recommended by folks in our community, including counsellors and people who have first-hand experience with hard feelings.
Click here to browse other book recommendations by topic.
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It's OK that you're not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand
By Megan Devine In It’s OK That You’re Not OK, Megan Devine offers a profound new approach to both the experience of grief and the way we try to help others who have endured tragedy. Having experienced grief from both sides―as both a therapist and as a woman who witnessed the accidental drowning of her beloved partner―Megan writes with deep insight about the unspoken truths of loss, love, and healing. She debunks the culturally prescribed goal of returning to a normal, "happy" life, replacing it with a far healthier middle path, one that invites us to build a life alongside grief rather than seeking to overcome it |
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Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations for Working Through Grief By Martha Hickman
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The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression By Andrew Solomon |
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It's Not Always Depression: Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self By Hilary Jacobs Hendel |
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The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief By Francis Weller |
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Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief By Joanne Cacciatore |
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Nothing to Be Frightened Of By Julian Barnes |
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No Mud, No Lotus By Thich Nhat Hanh |
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Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection By John T. Cacioppo |
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The Crying Book By Heather Christle |
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When Breath Becomes Air By Paul Kalanithi |
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Surviving the Death of a Sibling: Living Through Grief When an Adult Brother or Sister Dies By T.J. Wray |