Book Review: Rocky Roads by Michelle-Linn-Gust, PhD
/There are many books that have been published on the subject of suicide bereavement. Cumbria Suicide Bereavement Support has partnered with Cumbria Libraries to develop a comprehensive collection, available to buy on our books page. Barrow-based support group facilitator Emily reviewed “Rocky Road” by Michelle Linn-Gust.
Reviewed by:
Emily, whose partner, the father of their four then-teenage children, took his own life in 2008.
Plot Overview
The author’s sister took her own life aged 17, when the author was 21. She uses a combination of personal experience of this, and of talking to others, as well as limited references to research, to offer a ‘road map’ for families to navigate the pain of their loss.
Strengths
It’s a lovely, kindly written short book, that manages in simple words to acknowledge so much of the awfulness I went through with my little family, as well as offering perfectly sensible suggestions on how to help your selves get to a happier place
Weaknesses
The author is American, so some of the statistics and resources referred to, and at times the language used, felt a bit alien to me as a Brit.
Emily’s star rating
“I wish I had this book when my partner died.”
Recommendation
I wish I had this book when my partner died. I don’t know if I could have taken everything in at that point, but there is a lot of comfort, reassurance, and hope offered, that the path you are on is understandable and things can get better.
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