The books in this series may contain language, sexual content, violence or themes of grief and loss, which may be challenging for some readers. Reader caution advised.
Introduction to Undercurrent of Grief
by Kathleen Holt
Admittedly, one of the main reasons I read is to expand my world, to understand the lives and perspectives of others – of those younger, of those with the wisdom that comes with age, of those who grew up in circumstances different from mine or spoke the languages of cultures different from my rural, midwestern family’s. I’m Kathleen Holt preparing to talk about grief, which I, like all of us, have experienced many times.
It's not easy to talk about grief, but what we do know is that while grief and loss are universal experiences, literature can serve as a mirror that reflects on these profound emotions. They say that every grief experience is unique depending on such things as the circumstances of a death, the closeness of those grieving to those who are dying or have died and, of course, the attitudes and beliefs one has about dying.
“Grief in literature has evolved over time reflecting societal attitudes and beliefs about death and mourning. From long, passionate monologues in Greek tragedies to Shakespeare’s memorable depictions ranging from the profound sorrow of Hamlet to the raw grief of King Lear, Shakespeare’s characters express sorrow, grapple with guilt, anger, regret or sometimes even fall into madness.”
Some of the books we are reading in this series may not be for every reader. Some contain violence, profanity, or topics that are challenging, so we invite you to skip reading those to take care of yourself. Perhaps you’ll enjoy listening to the Radio Readers BookBytes and will gain comfort from the thoughts of others.
The first book in our 2025 Fall Read series begins with George Saunders’ Lincoln in the Bardo. The format of this book is different and may provide a distance that makes the consideration of the death of a child – in this case, of President Abraham Lincoln’s oldest son Willie tolerable. Saunders’s spirits say, “. . . we had been considerable. Had been loved . . . Our departures caused pain. Those who had loved us sat upon their beds, heads in hand; . . . [but] remembering us, even many years later, people would smile, briefly gladdened at the memory.”
In our second book, American Mother, written by Colum McCann with Diane Foley, the author states that, “[Hers} . . . is not a story that often gets told. Hers is a small sky though it contains so much rain.” While the pain and death of hostage-taking and violence is exquisitely painful, readers have much to learn from this mother as she turns to activism and forgiveness in this work of inspiring courage.
The final work in Undercurrent of Grief is a book of essays by Margaret Renkl. It’s not only been a favorite of readers but is filled with beautiful depictions of nature vividly illustrating the relationship between the natural world and loss. Rendkl says, “In the fairy tale we tell ourselves, darkness holds nothing resembling a gift. What we feel always contains its own truth, but it is not the only truth, and darkness almost always harbors some bit of goodness tucked out of sight, waiting for an unexpected light to shine, to reveal it in its deepest hiding place.”
Join us for the 2025 Fall Read – Undercurrent of Grief on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for Radio Readers BookBytes on Morning Edition and All Things Considered. And, of course, you’ll find all Radio Readers BookBytes podcasts at the HPPR Radio Readers Book Club under the Features Menu at HPPR dot org.
I’m Kathleen Holt for the HPPR Radio Readers Book Club.
REFERENCES
Breen LJ, O'Connor M. The fundamental paradox in the grief literature: a critical reflection. Omega (Westport). 2007;55(3):199-218. doi: 10.2190/OM.55.3.c. PMID: 18214068.
Flowers, Bernie. Grief in Literature: An Exploration of Loss Portrayal. From
https://www.myfarewelling.com/article/grief-in-literature-an-exploration-of-loss-portrayal
