THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING by Joan Didion and Gabriel: A Poem by Edward Hirsch are the two most profound and moving contemplations of personal loss that I have read. Where Gabriel is a raw scorching scream of anguish, MAGICAL THINKING is typical Didion, understated and seeping into your lungs like a low fog until you slowly feel the weight of it hindering your breath, pressing against your heart. It is not unrelenting, you will not be overwhelmed, but it is unforgettable and highly recommended.