A little too crunchy California feel-good spiritual for me. Kristine Carlson became a widow at 43 when her famous author husband (Don't Sweat the Small Stuff) dies because of an embolism while he is flying to NY. Carlson's spirituality is all over the place, but it seems to work for her. Her struggle is to surrender, accept and trust. Although she's obviously greiving, it all seems to come pretty easy for her. I think she's on a higher enlightened plane than I am.

Two criticisms - she needs to s More...

I was disappointed in this book. First of all, it is printed in a very small font so I dreaded pushing my old eyes through it. I did like the cover with the picture of Chinese lantern flower in a stage that would symbolize death.
It is an autobiographical journey of a woman's grief for her husband. He unexpectedly passed away of a pulmonary embolism during an airplane flight. She divides her experience of grief into four stages: Surrender, Trust, Accept and Receive. She details what it was like t More...

I liked this more than I thought I would and read it in the course of one day. While the author suffers a sudden and unexpected loss when she loses her husband of 25 years (the author of the Don't Sweat the Small Stuff series), her story is not the least bit maudlin or self-absorbed. The couple shared a deep, respectful, spiritual and physical connection that is to be admired. She clearly and concisely shares her journey through grief into acceptance, highlighting that we can't change our past b More...

I just finished this book. It's a quick and tender read. Kristine does a brilliant job of tracking and sharing her emotional journey through an unexpected loss - the death of her (famous) husband, Richard Carlson - author of the "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff" books. She describe the roller coaster-like ride from shock to a profound opening of her heart. The wisdom and honesty in this book touched my own heart and spirit on a deep level.

I could possibly give this book 3 stars, depending on the section. It was sincere, heartfelt, open. Just seemed kinda cheesy and new age-y a lot of the time. I could get on board with some of it, and other parts just kind of made me think, "Seriously??" Fair amount of discussion about spirituality, gurus, "energies" and stuff like that. But I did appreciate her accounts of the emotions she went through following the death of her husband so suddenly and at such a young age.

This is a gut-level engaging read that will validate everything you go feel and go through after losing a loved one, or even encourter great loss of any kind. It is healing as well as strengthening.

Ruthie Lewis
Author, Speaker, Life Coach
www.RuthieLewis.com

About a wife dealing with her husband's death. There was an excerpt at Dailylit http://dailylit.com/books/dailylit-bo...

Some wonderful stuff here about the grief process, just didn't want to read about her, uh...sexual problems. Still, for a die hard Richard Carlson fan like me, it was really great to get the back and inside stories surrounding his death and more detail about his life. He was the "real deal" and I'm glad this book confirmed that. The book they wrote together, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff in Love" is still one of the greatest books on marriage ever written. You might want to read that, skip this.