Books on suicide

When you are faced with the unthinkable, this is the book you can turn to. Suicide is baffling and devastating in equal measures, and it can affect any one of us: one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds. Yet despite the scale of the devastation, for family members and friends, suicide is still poorly understood. Drawing on decades of work in the field of suicide prevention and research, and having been bereaved by suicide twice, Professor O'Connor is here to help. This book will untangle the complex reasons behind suicide and dispel any unhelpful myths. For those trying to help someone vulnerable, it will provide indispensable advice on communication, stressing the importance of listening to fears and anxieties without judgment.

In this definitive guide book, Michael F. Myers, MD, a leading psychiatrist, and Carla Fine combine their perspectives as a physician and a survivor to offer compassionate and practical advice to anyone affected by suicide.

Presenting cases - recounted in the patients' own words - that reveal the inner workings of the suicidal mind, Shneidman looks at suicide from a psychological perspective. He offers a wealth of insights to help understand and to prevent suicide.

'The Scent of Dried Roses' is Tim Lott's moving and disturbing personal inquest into the death of his mother. Why did she kill herself? What had he, her son, to do with it?

This book is meant for anyone who has lost a brother or sister to suicide – and those who want to support them. Any loss is difficult, but a loss to suicide is heightened because of the helplessness and confusion surrounding it. A sibling loss to suicide is even more unique because the sibling(s) left behind are often forgotten – mourning the loss of their brother or sister alone in the shadows of their parents’ grief.

Magdaline answers questions directly from her experience following the loss of her 18 year-old brother, John, to suicide in November 2001. Hopefully, her story will give readers a small piece of strength, faith, and peace in navigating the long road to healing ahead.

This text provides insights into living in the wake of suicide and provides useful strategies and support for those affected by a suicide, as well as professionals in the field of psychology, social work and medicine.

Poignant, moving, funny, thought provoking and beautifully written, Paul Heiney's account of setting his own course through seemingly insurmountable grief makes for a powerful story. Injected with humour, perceptiveness and philosophy, recounting his highs, lows, frustrations and triumphs, the honesty and openness of Paul's story makes this very personal account a universal tale.

Aged 24, Matt Haig's world caved in. He could see no way to go on living. This is the true story of how he came through crisis, triumphed over an illness that almost destroyed him and learned to live again. A moving, funny and joyous exploration of how to live better, love better and feel more alive, this is more than a memoir: it is a book about making the most of your time on Earth.

Iris Bolton's personal story of her son's suicide is a deeply moving, poignant one. It is a story of both a devastating tragedy and an exquisite triumph - and the agonising, relentless, conflicted process connecting these two oppositional pulls.

Writing from personal experience, Betty Madill offers practical suggestions to help people embark on their own path of healing and acceptance. It combines personal recommendations with recognized bereavement counselling advice.

Is depression a question of genetics, bad parental care, or distressing life events? This book presents in accessible terms what scientists and psychiatrists know about the subject.

A healing guide for family members who have lost a loved one to suicide, this book contains recollections from suicide survivors to provide an insight into the confusion, fear, and guilt family members experience.

'Cry of Pain' examines the evidence from a social, psychological and biological perspective to see if there are common features that might shed light on suicide. Informative and sympathetically written, it is essential reading for therapists and mental health professionals as well as those struggling with suicidal feelings, their families and friends.

The last time Clancy Martin tried to kill himself was in his basement with a dog leash. He didn't write a note. How Not to Kill Yourself is an affirmation of life by someone who has tried to end it multiple times. It's about standing in your bathroom every morning, gearing yourself up to die. It's about choosing to go on living anyway. In an unflinching account of his darkest moments, Clancy Martin makes the case against suicide, drawing on the work of philosophers from Seneca to Jean Améry. Through critical inquiry and practical steps, we might yet answer our existential despair more freely - and with a little more creativity.

From the acclaimed writer and thinker, a moving memoir about losing her mother to suicide as well as honouring the legacy of a family whose members struggled bravely against some of the worst crises of the twentieth century.

Every 85 minutes someone in the UK takes their own life, but what happens to those left behind? In a society where suicide is often viewed with fear or disapproval, it can be difficult for those personally affected by a suicide death to come to terms with their loss and seek help and support.

During the pandemic, Roman's life changed when his best friend - the producer who'd nurtured his career every step of the way - tragically took his own life. Amidst the shock, loss and confusion, Roman bravely made a moving BBC3 documentary about the alarming rates of suicide amongst young males. He's well aware he too, could have been a statistic. In this page-turning book - peppered with hilarious and surprising anecdotes from his youth - Roman also unflinchingly tackles the taboo of suicide, in the hope that by talking about his own struggles and sharing advice, he can help others. Roman shares all the experiences that have shaped him, and why love, marriage and having his own family one day are so important to his future dreams.

In April 1956, C.S. Lewis, a confirmed bachelor, married Joy Davidman, an American poet with two small children. After four brief, intensely happy years, Davidman died of cancer and Lewis found himself alone again, and inconsolable. To defend himself against the loss of belief in God, Lewis wrote this journal, an eloquent statement of rediscovered faith. In it he freely confesses his doubts, his rage, and his awareness of human frailty. In it he finds again the way back to life. Now a modern classic, 'A Grief Observed' has offered solace and insight to countless readers worldwide.

This readers' edition will include the original text of 'A Grief Observed' as well as new and specially commissioned responses to the book and its themes from respected contemporary writers and thinkers.