The Library Journal
Kamin, Ben. The Blessing of Sorrow: Turning Grief into Healing. Central Recovery. Jul. 2018. 240p. ISBN 9781942094654. pap. $17.95. REL Rabbi Kamin—public media personality and scholar on the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr.—offers insights into his 40-plus years of counseling the dead and dying as an alternative to “sanitized death,” as well as what he calls the West’s fear of death as infection, as if it’s something we can catch. For Kamin, this work is personal—he still feels grief’s grip from his father’s death, some four decades prior. Topics here range from personal grief, incomplete grieving, and how to channel grief and move forward. These subjects are interspersed with his own experiences as a bereaved family member and as a pastoral counselor helping people with sorrow. He peppers his reflections with modern idioms, such as “leaning in” to grief, along with references to deathreferences.com and Facebook postings (used with permission).
VERDICT A sincere attempt to move private grief into the sphere of public healing.—Sandra Collins, Byzantine Catholic Seminary Lib., Pittsburgh
I recognize a heart of compassion in Rabbi Kamin and felt immensely comforted, supported, and honored to share in his journey. Whether you have just lost a loved one or desire more insight and support, this book will offer you a bridge to finding peace.
—Corinne Cherek, M.Msc., BCC, Spiritual Counselor, Las Vegas Recovery Center Family Services
Whether one is a person of deep faith or no faith, The Blessing of Sorrow: Turning Grief into Healing offers invaluable help to anyone dealing with the death of a loved one. It is a beautiful reflection on life—practical, down-to-earth, and compassionate for those grieving and who need light to find the way through the darkness of loss. As a Catholic parish priest for more than forty years, I highly recommend Rabbi Kamin’s remarkable opus not only for the grieving, but also for those who minister to them in their hour of need.
—Msgr. Dennis L. Mikulanis, STD, Pastor Director of Diocesan Cemeteries of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego
Throughout his career, Rabbi Ben Kamin has officiated at numerous memorial services and comforted countless people—of all ages—along their journey with grief. He has seen the blessing of sorrow emerge when the grief was embraced and processed. This is a powerful, personal book that offers a sound and reasonable theological, psychological, and practical guide to bereavement. Read how to experience the loss of a loved one and eventually to experience joy and peace again.
—Marjorie Foster Coburn, PhD Psychologist
...a travelogue for a journey that all of us are destined to take. Kamin is a wordsmith, so it is highly readable. No doubt, the book will be a comfort to those suddenly confronted with the death of a loved one. But I recommend not waiting until faced with such personal loss. Read the book now, so you can think with a clear head about some of the issues that Kamin skillfully raises.
—Donald H. Harrision, San Diego Jewish World
