Colin Murray Parkes (1928–2024)

As a guide for hospice workers and end-of-life care providers, this book is sometimes woefully vague. But given the ambitious scope of what it seeks to accomplish--providing introductions to or overviews of cultural attitudes toward death and bereavement rituals across the world--this is perhaps a necessary flaw in the book. I grew up in a Christian household, for instance, and so found the chapter on Christianity disappointingly broad. I am currently a Buddhist, and I conversely found the show more chapter on Tibetan burial practices too narrowly focused. But the chapters on Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism were, for me, fascinating, and the chapter on secular Humanism, though at times too aggressively anti-religious for my tastes, was equally educational. I think the serious student of world cultures, world religions, and/or death and bereavement would be wise to find whole books on each subject, because these chapters just don't get the job done--but as an introduction to such studies, this book worked out pretty well, and would probably serve nicely as a handy refresher reference to keep on the shelf. show less

Death and Bereavement Across Cultures 2nd Edition is a handbook which meets the needs of doctors, nurses, social workers, hospital chaplains, counsellors and volunteers caring for patients with life-threatening illness and their families before and after bereavement. It is a practical guide explaining the religious and other differences commonly met with in multi-cultural societies when someone is dying or bereaved. In doing so readers may be surprised to find how much we can learn from show more other cultures about our own attitudes and assumptions about death. Written by international experts in the field the book:
Describes the rituals and beliefs of major world religions;
Explains their psychological and historical context;
Shows how customs are changed by contact with the West;
Considers the implications for the future. show less

This book is based on research, over twelve years, into the reactions and feelings of widows. The author describes the typical manifestations of grief. The aim is to skilfully and compassionately increase the understanding of grief.
Tavistock Publications, 1975, 80p

Was written for professionals as well as people who've recently lost a friend or family member.