The Madness of Grief

A Memoir of Love and Loss

By: Reverend Richard Coles

Narrated by: Richard Coles

Whether it is pastoral care for the bereaved, discussions about the afterlife or being called out to perform the last rites, death is part of the Reverend Richard Coles' life and work. But when his partner, the Reverend David Coles, died, shortly before Christmas in 2019, much about death took Coles by surprise. For one thing, David's death at the early age of 43 was unexpected.

The man that so often assists others to examine life's moral questions now found himself in need of help. He began to look to others for guidance to steer him through his grief. The flock was leading the shepherd. Much about grief surprised him: the volume of 'sadmin' you have to do when someone dies, how much harder it is travelling for work alone, even the pain of typing a text message to your partner - then realising you are alone.

The Reverend Richard Coles's deeply personal account of life after grief will resonate, unforgettably, with anyone who has lost a loved one.

©2021 Richard Coles (P)2021 Orion Publishing Group

Heartfelt and profound

To say that a book about grief is amazing may sound odd but The Madness of Grief is just that. Reverend Cole's account of his love and loss of his partner was in many ways a narrative of the recent loss of my husband. This book is confirmation that grief is real, and my feelings and thoughts are valid in a way that is so comforting.