کشتی‌گیری با فرشته: نوشته‌ها و تأملات ادبی درباره مرگ، مردن و سوگواری

"Wrestling with the Angel addresses the human struggle to cope with death, dying, grief, and bereavement. The book includes essays, a one-act play, a short story, and poetry, including shape poems, rhyming, structured verse, and free verse. In the one-act play, an angel of death comes for a man who has lived an unexamined life and wants to explain why he is not prepared to leave. The short story offers a humorous look at a man who resists aging by continuing to view himself as the young man he once was. The diverse genres allow for different ways of exploring these issues, but all are intended to engage the reader's emotions as well as intellect. The writings incorporate reflections and quotations addressing common human issues related to our mortality and explore reactions to the loss of a loved one--whether expected, such as the death of an aging parent or someone with a terminal illness, or unexpected, such as accidental death. The final chapters examine how aging causes us to assess our lives and why preparing ourselves for death can enhance the quality of our life. This is a book with many more questions than answers, but the reader is invited to share in the process of finding answers. It is a book that requires the reader to be comfortable with ambiguity, because the reality it describes is often ambiguous--a reality that presents us with many choices but few certainties. Intended Audience: Scholars, hospice workers, funeral home directors, hospital chaplains, ministers, and others who work with bereavement issues; classes in death education and classes for mental health professionals in death and grief; general readers who have suffered the loss of a loved one."--Provided by publisher Wrestling with the Angel is a major addition to the classic works in dying, death, and grief. For those with a love of literature, this marvelous work includes not only prose, but poetry, a short story, and a wonderful play. In warm and simple language, Kent Koppelman addresses issues faced by men in grieving the loss of a child, in a uniquely masculine approach to this topic. Unlike most grief and bereavement works, this book addresses male issues, in a humorous yet thoughtful and compassionate way that offers men the strength and direction they need to survive with tremendous loss. Women will also enjoy this marvelous book and its insights into the special nature of a father's grief and response to grief. Dr. Gerry R. Cox, Emeritus Professor of Sociology Center for Death Education & Bioethics University of Wisconsin-La Crosse --Book Jacket Kent Koppelman addresses coming to terms with tragic loss and offers much good information with his own inimitable style of humor and poetic license, with beautiful poetry and prose and deep philosophic insight into tragedy and courage. It is a highly useful work, to be read again and again. If you purchase this book, it will be one that becomes well crumpled--as all good books are! Whatever you take from this book, some piece of it will be meaningful. For me, reading it has been meaningful both personally and professionally. Daniel Rudofossi, Psy. D., Ph. D., New York University Author, A Cop Doc's Guide to Public Safety Complex Trauma Syndrome This is one of the most innovative and original books I have read on the subject of death and dying, one that will both stimulate and challenge the reader with compelling insights and perceptive understanding--an invaluable contribution. Rabbi Earl A. Grollman, D.H.L., D.D. Author, Living When a Loved One Has Died Loss: an unexpected death -- Mortality: a matter of life and death -- Bereavement: becoming a survivor -- Reconciliation: living with the absence -- Bereavement: expecting death -- Awareness: promoting the quality of life -- Growing old: walking through the valley -- Anticipation: preparing for death.