Carole Brody Fleet lost her husband to ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and was faced with the challenge of raising five children and making a new life for herself. She was surprised to discover that there were very few resources available for widows. Fleet took this on as her assignment and established Widows Wear Stilettos, a nonprofit organization that provides support, education, and information for widows. In this paperback, she and other members of the widowed community share their experiences and wisdom on this path, which is one with a mixture of setbacks and personal triumphs.
Fleet makes it clear that the grief one feels after the loss of a husband or wife cannot be rushed. It takes time to rearrange and readjust one's life. The author covers familiar territory with her thoughts on the awkwardness of responses to widowhood by relatives and friends, the difficulty of being single in a world of couples, the bewildering re-entry into dating, and the pain of holidays. Fleet does better with her assessments of getting it together, closure, anger, strength, and fear. She also has some fresh things to say about the intricacies of intimacy, returning to the workplace, the grief of children, and remarriage. This book is recommended for its authentic depiction of the widow's experience.
