Widowed

Having for years advised women on how to face widowhood or other grievously damaging emotional experiments, popular psychologist Brothers ( What Every Woman Should Know About Love and Marriage ) here recounts how she rebuilt her own life after briefly considering suicide upon the 1989 death by cancer of her husband of 39 years. Accepting pain, the author asserts, is the first step toward healing. And although she describes the generally recognized stages of mourning, Brothers emphasizes that the intensity and duration of each stage vary greatly with the individual. Of particular interest to widows are her astute reflections on sex and remarriage based on candidly recalled incidents of her own widowhood, and practical tips on how to ``join the parade of life again.'' This is a self-help guide of inestimable value. First serial to Good Housekeeping; Literary Guild alternate. (Nov.)