The Orphaned Adult

Understanding and Coping with Grief and Change After the Death of Our Parents

By: Alexander Levy

Narrated by: Jeff Steitzer

Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

This "wise and caring book" (Library Journal) is a guide to understanding and coping with grief and all of the disorienting emotions that accompany the death of our parents.

Losing our parents when we ourselves are adults is the natural order of things, a rite of passage into true adulthood. But whether we lose them suddenly or after a prolonged illness, and whether we were close to or estranged from them, this passage proves inevitably more difficult than we thought it would be.

From the recognition of our own mortality and sudden child-like sorrow to a sometimes-subtle change in identity or shift of roles in the surviving family, The Orphaned Adult guides listeners through the storm of change this passage brings and anchors them with its compassionate and reassuring wisdom.

©2008 Alexander Levy (P)2017 Hachette Audio

Comforting Book!

I felt understood by this author.
I recommend it to anyone experiencing the loss of a parent.

A must read if you have lost both your parents!

An “orphan” is exactly how I try to explain how it feels once you no longer have parents. Perfect title!

I feel seen, heard and understood

During this book, There were so many times that I found myself with my hand in the air like I was in the middle of a Baptist church service. Meaning, there were many things that this author said that I could attest to. He was able to verbalize my heart in a way that made sense. The goal wasn't necessarily to give you tools to deal with grief even though it accomplished that. But moreso how to deal with the overwhelming reality of being orphaned as an adult versus the stereotypical image of a child orphan. I lost my 1st parent in 2015 and my 2nd parent, my mom in August of 2021, which was barely 90 days ago. This book has helped me articulate what I think, how I feel and why I'm functioning the way that I am. It truly was a tremendous asset and I highly recommend it for any orphaned adult. You are not crazy. Your feelings of abandonment are valid and there is a way to navigate grief even in that reality.

I lost my dad and this book helped me overcome

I lost my dad and this book helped me overcome my sadness, depression and feelings of regrets after the tragic loss of my beloved father. To my knowledge, there is no other book like this one which tackles the death of parents and surviving such tragedies. Highly recommend it

Absolutely anyone who has lost a parent or both MUST read this book!

I think I’m a pretty critical person by nature, but I have not one complaint about this book. You know how sometimes you have to make a book “fit” your situation because something wasn’t covered or didn’t quite reflect what YOU were going through. This book covers it ALL. It’s relatable and not only that like so many others...it provides tangible and realistic strategies and techniques for coping with grief. It’s really an easy read. I feel for anyone experiencing the loss of a parent who hasn’t benefitted from reading this book. It’s just that helpful.

It helped

I recently lost my mother and had lost my father as a teenager. The book helped me understand my grief a little better.

Eye opening

After losing my only surviving parent, my mother, just a little over a year ago I struggled almost daily with grief. This book really helped me to better understand myself and to know it’s okay and am not alone. Very good read.

So so helpful

Easy to listen to, personal but objective , explains why we are feeling like we do - gives us permission to feel this and gentle reassurance until acceptance. Highly recommended.

Exactly what I needed

I guess I should start by saying that I didn't know I needed this book until a music therapist that I work with in my hospice company recommended it to me. YES, I work in hospice and still I struggle with grief and bereavement. My mother was under our care for a few short days but my father passed unexpectedly only 59 days before her. It's been almost a year now and I'm still struggling. This book has helped me see that I can get better so THANK YOU!

Excellent and comforting

Just what I needed when my mother, the second of my two parents, died. The book provided comfort and validation for all I was experiencing.