The raw pain of bereavement can be indescribable and overwhelming. Never really fading, it can resurface in varying degrees on key dates or randomly as memories are sparked. Grief is a uniquely personal experience, but one that unifies us as human, given we're all highly likely to experience it at some point in our lifetimes - grief is the price we pay for love.

In this collection we've put together some non-fiction reads that offer comfort, understanding and support during difficult times of grief. We've included memoirs such as Reverand Richard Coles' The Madness of Grief, a beautifully honest chronicle of personal loss. Standing on my Brother's Shoulders by Tara Lal's personal journey through trauma is a guiding light to those facing struggles with suicide, grief and mental illness. On the other end of the spectrum, Marise Gaughan's Trouble is a whip-smart witty coming-of-age memoir that deals with a young woman's survival of losing a loved one while trying to find her way in the world. 

You'll also find self-help books like The Grief Handbook, created by Bridget McNulty after her unsuccessful search for a book that could shine a light through her fog of grief, it guides the reader through the early days, into the future and each moment in between. Cariad Lloyd's You Are Not Alone is inspired by her own grief mistakes and lessons for anyone lost in grief, wanting to help someone struggling, or just wanting to understand this life a little better. 

We hope this collection provides some comfort, demonstrating that many walk this path and you aren't on your own, while offering an additional helping hand of support. 

If you'd rather explore the themes of grief at an arms length in fiction, take a look at these 50+ Extraordinary Stories about Grief – Nourishing Novels That’ll Nurture the Soul and Heal Heavy Hearts.

Mind has a a list of useful contacts and organisations that can offer support following a bereavement on their website, and the Bereavement Advice Centre is a free helpline and web-based information service that gives practical information and advice and signposting on the many issues and procedures that face us after the death of someone close.