Evening Sun: A Widow's Journey

Recently, I had the privilege of reading and reviewing a stunning new book by poet and essayist Aline Soules. As a professional grief counselor, I recommend it to women who have lost a beloved husband or partner. As a male reader/reviewer, I am certain it would touch the hearts of widowers, as well. 

The review is followed by an enlightening interview with the author.

The Wisdom of Being Woman

My ongoing search for wisdom has led me to a welcome an important discovery. Meditation on Woman by Aline Soules is a book of poetic essays that represent some of the deepest wisdom and insight I have ever encountered. I first read these meditations in draft form as part of a critique group of professional writers. I knew right off that I was in the presence of a marvelous, deep-spirited writer. I also realized that I stood at the door of a human mystery that I would never fully comprehend. When Aline invited me to write a cover blurb for the book, I accepted the task with humility and great pleasure; also with a measure of self-doubt about my ability to put into words feelings that seemed to defy adequate expression. 


I've learned that unworthiness can slow my response, but rarely has it stopped me from plowing ahead. So I wrote:
“Discovering Aline Soules’s Meditation on Woman is like chancing upon a long-hidden, primal road map for exploring the profound mystery that is the female spirit. How awesome it is to be invited into the raw complexity of woman’s aspirations, failures, and triumphs. Every man who cares about a woman at any level of relationship will come away enriched and grateful.” 


This is a beautiful book overflowing with joy, pain, and great compassion. Page after page from beginning to end, it speaks truth to the human spirit. I recommend it for all women, young and old--and for the men who love them.

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Author-poet Aline Soules blogs at "My Creative World" 


Alfred J. Garrotto is the author of The Saint of Florenville: A Love Story.