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Hello Grief: I'll Be Right with You
The author of the bestselling I Used to Have a Plan is back with more balm for the soul, offering advice, inspiration, and solace for everyone who has lost something or someone special.
After losing her mother to cancer, Alessandra Olanow was overwhelmed by the sadness and uncertainty she felt each day—the shifting tide of emotions that everyone who has suffered loss experiences in their own unique way.
In this wise and intimate book, the artist and writer draws insights from her personal loss and also her training as an end-of-life doula to explore the complex, heart-rending process of grief. Olanow chronicles her journey through pain and how she learned to bear a sorrow that will never leave her. In spare but incisive writing and more than 75 full-color drawings, she shares her own struggle with feelings of loss and longing and shows that with time, grief evolves and we relearn the world changed by that loss.
Hello Grief can be read straight through from cover to cover or can be opened to any each spread delivers a warm combination of advice, solace, empathy, and a glint of humor that is direct, helpful, comforting, and profound in its truth. Olanow has distilled the experience of grief and the process of healing into a soothing book that will bring comfort to anyone in mourning.
After losing her mother to cancer, Alessandra Olanow was overwhelmed by the sadness and uncertainty she felt each day—the shifting tide of emotions that everyone who has suffered loss experiences in their own unique way.
In this wise and intimate book, the artist and writer draws insights from her personal loss and also her training as an end-of-life doula to explore the complex, heart-rending process of grief. Olanow chronicles her journey through pain and how she learned to bear a sorrow that will never leave her. In spare but incisive writing and more than 75 full-color drawings, she shares her own struggle with feelings of loss and longing and shows that with time, grief evolves and we relearn the world changed by that loss.
Hello Grief can be read straight through from cover to cover or can be opened to any each spread delivers a warm combination of advice, solace, empathy, and a glint of humor that is direct, helpful, comforting, and profound in its truth. Olanow has distilled the experience of grief and the process of healing into a soothing book that will bring comfort to anyone in mourning.
128 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 27, 2022
11 people are currently reading
973 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
January 15, 2023
It's not ethical to rate this, but anything less than three stars would be completely inappropriate.
December 29, 2022
I want to give this book to anyone and everyone living with grief as their shadow. It will live on my nightstand and I will return to it often. It will be the hug when I cannot have the hug I so desperately want.
March 18, 2023
A beautiful collection of poems, quotes, doodles, illustrations and reflections about navigating grief. While this feels like a book the author wrote for herself as a way to process her feelings, I believe many will be able to find comfort and solace in it.
I love what this book said about grief not being something to overcome or complete. Rather, it will always be part of us and evolving; we learn how to live it with and shouldn't be too hard on ourselves because everyone grieves differently at our own pace.
Despite being a quick read, there are so many takeaways here and it's palpable how much the author misses her mother.
I love what this book said about grief not being something to overcome or complete. Rather, it will always be part of us and evolving; we learn how to live it with and shouldn't be too hard on ourselves because everyone grieves differently at our own pace.
Despite being a quick read, there are so many takeaways here and it's palpable how much the author misses her mother.
September 10, 2024
This book is the perfect gift for someone who has just lost a loved one and will really hit home (especially for someone grieving a mother). I loved the illustrations in this book, they're so beautiful and the overall message of grief being a totally healthy thing no matter what shape it forms.
April 14, 2023
i mean...this was okay! i didn't hate it, but sometimes i think it's okay to just admit that not everything needs to be a book. i think this would work great on instagram? or like in a journal shared amongst a group.
i have read books that are similar to this where they are like little bits and bobs, like a drawing here, a very short sentence here. a short poem, etc. like i don't think this is a new concept but those books to be fair usually have more substance. for a book about the most intense subject this had surprisingly little substance.
i thought on this a little more and i want to add that i'm probably just being a buttheart baby about this book because i feel as if the author has reduced a thing that has destroyed my life to a bunch of sweet little vignettes and nice little sayings. like i remember when my sister died people would be like "it's okay your sister is in a better place", "healing takes time", "your sister will always be in your heart". and basically this book is just a different version of those same things. sorry. i'm really just grumpy. lol.
all i'm saying is that everything that people say about grief is such a fucking lie.
i know this isn't the place to rant about this lol. i need a blog. but grief is a monster that lives all around you and in you and never goes away. it transforms and you must feed it and nurture it or it will destroy you.
that being said i think it's nice that the author is working through her grief through art so like yea. sorry for what i said earlier lol.
i have read books that are similar to this where they are like little bits and bobs, like a drawing here, a very short sentence here. a short poem, etc. like i don't think this is a new concept but those books to be fair usually have more substance. for a book about the most intense subject this had surprisingly little substance.
i thought on this a little more and i want to add that i'm probably just being a buttheart baby about this book because i feel as if the author has reduced a thing that has destroyed my life to a bunch of sweet little vignettes and nice little sayings. like i remember when my sister died people would be like "it's okay your sister is in a better place", "healing takes time", "your sister will always be in your heart". and basically this book is just a different version of those same things. sorry. i'm really just grumpy. lol.
all i'm saying is that everything that people say about grief is such a fucking lie.
i know this isn't the place to rant about this lol. i need a blog. but grief is a monster that lives all around you and in you and never goes away. it transforms and you must feed it and nurture it or it will destroy you.
that being said i think it's nice that the author is working through her grief through art so like yea. sorry for what i said earlier lol.
April 9, 2023
I got lured into this book as I was browsing a bookstore. As I started flipping through it I realized that this was something really worth my time. I picked it up and went to a quiet corner and read the whole book. It was absolutely stunning, so much so I decided that this is a book worthy of my bookshelf. The way this author depicted grief through her words and pictures was simply breathtaking. If you are dealing with loss or even if you aren’t this is a beautiful piece of art.
I highly recommend this book! Happy reading!
I highly recommend this book! Happy reading!
April 23, 2023
A bit like reading a stack of sympathy cards or gift shop magnet/mugs with sayings about grief and growth on them; the presentation and words are nice, but generic and conveying nothing new.
April 6, 2024
Felt meant to be to find this little gem right now…💔
January 7, 2023
I think I was hoping for more with this? I have also lost my mom and trying to find poetry about “loss” this isn’t about heartbreak is really difficult and I think I wanted a little more introspection.
I might be the wrong person for this, grief has been a revolving door in my life since I was 9 - the platitudes of taking time and space just don’t resonate with me and that isn’t necessarily on this book or author. But - I did think it was a poetry book and it was mostly beautiful art.
The art was gorgeous and the first two poems were beautiful as well.
I might be the wrong person for this, grief has been a revolving door in my life since I was 9 - the platitudes of taking time and space just don’t resonate with me and that isn’t necessarily on this book or author. But - I did think it was a poetry book and it was mostly beautiful art.
The art was gorgeous and the first two poems were beautiful as well.
January 14, 2023
Beautifully written. The journey of grief is different for everyone. The author intimately writes and illustrates the grief & loss of her mother.
August 28, 2023
A treasure to keep on your bedside cabinet and pick up whenever you need a hug or affirmation that everything will be ok, even when it’s not. A book of few words that says a lot. ❤️
November 12, 2023
Beautiful words and pictures. I miss you so much Dada, happy Diwali ❤️
Read
January 24, 2024“with time i realize that grief is not
something to overcome or complete,
rather a part of life and
a connection to my memories.”
April 22, 2023
This was…fine 🤷🏼♀️ Not much to it, I read it in about 5 minutes. Felt very Instagrammy and somewhat empty.
When I read about grief, I far prefer a personal deep dive and reflections. Give me all the pain! I want to hear it. So that’s on me for picking this book up and not a memoir 😅
I’m sure this book will be helpful to some and I wish the author the best as she grieves and heals.
When I read about grief, I far prefer a personal deep dive and reflections. Give me all the pain! I want to hear it. So that’s on me for picking this book up and not a memoir 😅
I’m sure this book will be helpful to some and I wish the author the best as she grieves and heals.
September 27, 2024
I like the art works, most especially. Most words, are just words. But somehow, the art makes it better (or worse).
---
---
and sometimes all of that grief reminds you
how much you loved, or were loved.
July 8, 2023
Mooi.
March 24, 2025
Not having a good night and grabbed this in a moment of just needing someone that gets it. So simple but somehow everything that needed to be heard and exactly what I needed. I think the concept that grief doesn’t ever go away, you just have to learn to quiet it down and bear it is something I wasn’t told or prepared for as an 11 year old and something I’m still trying to face at 29. Will definitely pick this up when I need to be grounded again.
February 11, 2023
"grief is love, adjusting."
3,7/5⭐️
3,7/5⭐️
February 23, 2023
rounding this up to 3/5. it’s a nice book but not to a point where i was impressed about it ((it felt like i was reading some tumblr quotes honestly)). if youre generally into art + poetry kind of books, you are probably gonna be familiar with this format; how minimal words with pretty illustrations are being used. not all readers would definitely be able to enjoy/relate but I always find it v refreshing. how books do not have to be all text all the time to tell a story/convey a message, but with illustrations that come with it, it can be more powerful and heart-felt.
i feel like books like these are meant to be read again & again and you will find yourself with different thoughts/feelings each time. if I were to pick this up for casual reading, i wouldn't be able to relate as much. but like if i were to pick this up when i needed it the most, it could be very comforting and useful to cope with grief.
i really wanted to like this more but it was quite bland - not to the extent that i would personally purchase this for my "to feel better" collection on my bookshelf but worth checking out if youre looking for a short brief read in one sitting or especially if you are currently experiencing grief.
i feel like books like these are meant to be read again & again and you will find yourself with different thoughts/feelings each time. if I were to pick this up for casual reading, i wouldn't be able to relate as much. but like if i were to pick this up when i needed it the most, it could be very comforting and useful to cope with grief.
i really wanted to like this more but it was quite bland - not to the extent that i would personally purchase this for my "to feel better" collection on my bookshelf but worth checking out if youre looking for a short brief read in one sitting or especially if you are currently experiencing grief.
February 12, 2023
"i hurt,
but then i heal.
i cry,
but then i smile again.
this is the beauty
of being human."
🤍
but then i heal.
i cry,
but then i smile again.
this is the beauty
of being human."
🤍
January 18, 2023
This book has helped me feel so seen. I suffered the tragic death of my younger brother in December. It’s been so hard to focus. To breathe. To function. This book articulated so much of that emotion in pictures and small poems, and sometimes just a few words. This book is absolutely what I need and I keep coming back to certain pages that resonate with where I am that day. So grateful for this resource in such a hard time of loss and coping.
October 21, 2024
not sure of dates - September/ October 2024.
* (Please note that my reviews are intended to be notes to myself - my memory is failing, and I need reminders about books I want to reread and books I didn’t finish. My reviews are not intended to be particularly useful for other readers.)
* (Please note that my reviews are intended to be notes to myself - my memory is failing, and I need reminders about books I want to reread and books I didn’t finish. My reviews are not intended to be particularly useful for other readers.)
February 6, 2023
“Remember, we all grieve at our own pace.”
February 22, 2024
Grief is love, adjusting 🥺
January 26, 2025
This was a fucking waste of time with no real nothing.
January 28, 2023
My favorite line: "grief is love, adjusting."
January 27, 2024
Captures the way grief feels as a visual.
January 14, 2024
Two books in one day. Made our day ER rotation less tough.
March 20, 2025
Simple yet short but powerful poems about five stages of grief that are so true.
January 15, 2023
A must read for anyone grieving the loss of a loved one, relationship, friendship, pet, etc.
Olanow pairs wise insights with comforting illustrations, describing her grief as an evolution of heart break, regret, isolation, acceptance, and continuing to live after loss.
I love that you can open this book to any page at any moment and find solace when you need it the most.
Olanow pairs wise insights with comforting illustrations, describing her grief as an evolution of heart break, regret, isolation, acceptance, and continuing to live after loss.
I love that you can open this book to any page at any moment and find solace when you need it the most.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews