Odyssey of Ashes

“Written in an enjoyable flowing format with chapters divided between two main sections, Krauter’s book will break your heart. . . . I highly recommend this book for those who’ve lost a spouse and want to understand how one woman is working through it.”

—Shawn LaTorre, StoryCircle Book Reviews

“What a moving book about loss and mourning. Cheryl finds solace in, among other things, trout fishing, rituals, Buddhist wisdom—and, luckily for us, writing about her experiences.”

—A.J. Jacobs, editor-at-large of Esquire magazine and author of Thanks a Thousand: A Gratitude Journey

“Though no one experiences the loss of a loved one in the same way, you need to add Cheryl Krauter’s Odyssey of Ashes to the shelf of great modern books on grief. Starting with the night of her husband’s death—the suddenness, the casual care and callousness of those who responded—and ending with an evocation of Mexico’s Day of the Dead, this memoir covers a lot of territory. She’s a cancer survivor herself, and the couple already knew to treat each day as if it were their last. Death puts that knowledge to the test, and this book is her testimony.”

—Sean Elder, co-author of Great Is the Truth: Secrecy, Scandal and the Quest for Justice at the Horace Mann School

“With profound insight, Cheryl explores the spiritual nature of life and death, the sacred connection between love and loss, life and death. A work of depth and infinite caring, this book is ultimately a gift of love, hope, and survival.”

—Cindy Rasicot, author of Finding Venerable Mother: A Daughter’s Spiritual Quest to Thailand

“This compelling and heart-warming memoir draws upon your heartstrings. The story chronicles the unexpected death of the author’s husband. Her pain for her loss emanates from each page, creating a path of empathy for her suffering. Fly-fishing, the great passion of her husband that she shared, remains a primary theme woven throughout the story. The path she takes to healing is explored through the reality and metaphor of fly fishing. This book wraps its arms around you and takes hold of your soul. I highly recommend this heartfelt and beautifully written book. Odyssey of Ashes is a must-read memoir.”

—Dr. Joan Steidinger, author of Stand Up and Shout Out: Women’s Fight for Equal Pay, Equal Rights, & Equal Opportunities in Sport

“In this engrossing memoir, Krauter shares her journey through the deep waters of grief. Her graceful writing reminds us that the cycle of love and loss is as natural as the river current, and it is only through fully embracing the force of the waters that dry land can eventually be found.”

—Allison J. Applebaum, PhD, director of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Caregivers Clinic and editor of “Cancer Caregivers”

“Cheryl Krauter’s gripping memoir traces her journey as she slowly heals from her husband’s unexpected death. Her descriptions of his death itself and of her frantic, disoriented interactions with police and paramedics are raw and unforgettable. Her later encounters with helpers, such as a hungry hummingbird and a Montana fly fisherman named “Dirty Mike,” are wry and poignant. Krauter’s book pulses with sorrow and fierce aliveness as she grapples with the finality of death.”

—Kathryn Ridall PhD, author of Dreaming at the Gates: How Dreams Guide Us

“This is a tender and courageous love story of Cheryl Krauter’s sacred journey through grief and loss of her dear husband John. Her lyrical writing flows like the rivers we travel on with her, touching the wild river of her soul. A story that does not end but reaches beyond into myth, ritual, and the archetype of sorrow and renewal of the wild woman inside her.”

—Barbara Sapienza, author of Anchor Out and The Laundress

“Odyssey of Ashes: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Letting Go is a poignant, intimate journey through the grief of losing a loved one to recovery. Cheryl Krauter is not afraid to honestly share her struggles and triumphs. She draws the reader in as a fisherman reels in a catch, and having worked with Cheryl for several years, I expected nothing less.”

—Andrea Knobloch, Medical Editor, Oxford University Press