A Woman's Book of Grieving

This slim collection of evocative prose poems, plus a smattering of prayers, night thoughts, parables and a dialogue, speaks especially to women who are grieving over the death of a loved one, the end of a marriage or relationship, or the hard knocks of ill fortune. Instead of offering easy reassurances, Rapoport, author of the novel Preparing for Sabbath , gently encourages readers to work through their sorrow, rage and despair, remembering that ``the opposite of depression is not happiness . . . but vitality, to feel alive each minute you are given.'' Her highly personal, lyrical reflections grew out of her own grief over the deaths of friends and family members. Her finely articulated message of renewal and healing is amplified by Rochelle Rubinstein Kaplan's bold, expressionistic woodcuts. BOMC alternate and QPB selection. (May)