Black Widow: A Sad-Funny Journey Through Grief for People Who Normally Avoid Books with Words Like “Journey” in the Title

Palm Beach Post columnist Streeter discusses losing her husband and adopting her son in a bittersweet memoir that approaches heavy subjects with lightness and humor. When Streeter was 44, her husband, Scott, died from a heart attack while they were “making out” as their nearly two-year-old son, Brooks, whom they were in the process of adopting, slept in another room. The book opens on the day of the funeral, as Streeter, who is African-American and Baptist, tries to plan a religiously and culturally inclusive send-off for Scott, who was white and Jewish. The author fondly remembers when she and Scott first met, their quest to adopt, and the joy they felt when Brooks was placed with them as a foster child. She is forthright in discussing her life as a widow: she eats and drinks too much as a way of coping, moves in with her mother for support, has to tell Brooks that his dad is dead, and adopts him as a single parent. “I’ve climbed out of hell by the tips of my raggedy fingertips,” Streeter writes. This hopeful account will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of resiliency and new life chapters. [em](Mar.) [/em]