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Leslie Gray Streeter

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Black Widow: A Sad-Funny Journey Through Grief for People Who Normally Avoid Books with Words Like "Journey" in the Title Kindle Edition

by Leslie Gray Streeter (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.7 232 ratings

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With her signature warmth, hilarity, and tendency to overshare, Leslie Gray Streeter gives us real talk about love, loss, grief, and healing in your own way that "will make you laugh and cry, sometimes on the same page" (James Patterson).

Leslie Gray Streeter is not cut out for widowhood. She's not ready for hushed rooms and pitying looks. She is not ready to stand graveside, dabbing her eyes in a classy black hat. If she had her way she'd wear her favorite curve-hugging leopard print dress to Scott's funeral; he loved her in that dress! But, here she is, having lost her soulmate to a sudden heart attack, totally unsure of how to navigate her new widow lifestyle. ("New widow lifestyle." Sounds like something you'd find products for on daytime TV, like comfy track suits and compression socks. Wait, is a widow even allowed to make jokes?)

Looking at widowhood through the prism of race, mixed marriage, and aging, Black Widow redefines the stages of grief, from coffin shopping to day-drinking, to being a grown-ass woman crying for your mommy, to breaking up and making up with God, to facing the fact that life goes on even after the death of the person you were supposed to live it with. While she stumbles toward an uncertain future as a single mother raising a baby with her own widowed mother (plot twist!), Leslie looks back on her love story with Scott, recounting their journey through racism, religious differences, and persistent confusion about what kugel is. Will she find the strength to finish the most important thing that she and Scott started?

Tender, true, and endearingly hilarious, Black Widow is a story about the power of love, and how the only guide book for recovery is the one you write yourself.

Print length

273 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Little, Brown and Company
Publication date

March 10, 2020
File size

2403 KB
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Enabled
Word Wise

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Enhanced typesetting

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Editorial Reviews

Review

One of Glamour’s Best Books of 2020

"Tender, clever, and endearing, this story of love and loss will have you alternating between laughter and tears. Leslie's mix of break-it-down humor and heartbreaking truth make this book playful and deep in all the right places."―Tembi Locke, New York Timesbestselling author of From Scratch

"So often, readers feel it's not okay to laugh in times of grief, but Streeter not only reminds us its okay, she encourages it. Black Widow has earned a place on the shelf next to Joan Didion and Cheryl Strayed in the realm of the grief memoir."―Booklist

"Black Widow is a beautiful love story that also happens to be a grief story. Leslie Gray Streeter tells the whole tale-falling in love, marriage, adopting, parenthood, death, moving on-with her captivating wit. Only she could make Black Widow so deeply moving, painfully funny, altogether unforgettable."―Rob Sheffield, author of Dreaming the Beatles and Love is a Mix Tape

"Black Widow is a very special one of a kind book, a wonderfully touching love story that will make you laugh and cry, sometimes on the same page. Even more outstanding is Leslie Gray Streeter's voice. You won't soon forget Black Widow."―James Patterson

"Grief is a heavy darkness with spots of unexpected, unpredictable light. Leslie's book is a light for those still stuck in the dark--a sad, funny, personal story filled with universal truths about life and love and loss."―Nora McInerny, author of The Hot Young Widows Club and No Happy Endings

"I can only marvel at Leslie Streeter's resilience, humor, and candor. Black Widow is a funny, heartwarming read about one of the worst things that can happen to a person. We should all be this grounded in our day-to-day lives."―Laura Lippman, NewYork Times bestselling author of Ladyin the Lake

"When Streeter's husband died, leaving her to raise their baby with her mother, also a widow, the journalist and playwright was plunged into a new, surprisingly funny life of coffin shopping and staring down racism."―Glamour

"This hopeful account will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of resiliency and new life chapters."―Publishers Weekly

A laugh-out-loud book for women who aren't ready to navigate widowhood in the traditional way.―New York Post

"This is a great read for anyone who's suffered loss of a loved one. I'd say it's chicken soup for any soul in grief. Anyone who reads this will undoubtedly feel consoled."―Aphrodite Jones

"I can't recommend this book enough. It made me realize how much I love my family and that LOVE conquers all."―Johnathon Schaech

"In her seriocomic debut, Palm Beach Post entertainment columnist Streeter pays tribute to her husband, Scott, by sharing detailed stories about their life together and her many struggles dealing with his death...Streeter's candid exploration will resonate with those who have dealt with similar circumstances. A love-filled eulogy to a beloved husband and the special times the couple shared before he died."―Kirkus

"If this book title isn't already a knockout to you, then I don't know what to say. But in all seriousness, humor is necessary to survive grief, and Leslie Gray Streeter imbues her memoir of losing her husband with just that. A love story that contemplates death, race, and single motherhood, Streeter's book is not something to gloss over."―San Francisco Weekly

"Using humor and a powerful narrative, Streeter guides us into an unexpected life of widowhood, single motherhood, and newfound wisdom."―Palm Beach Daily News

About the Author

Leslie Gray Streeter is an entertainment columnist for the Palm Beach Post. Her writing has been featured in the Miami Herald, Modern Loss, and elsewhere. Streeter's many speaking engagements include annual appearances at Camp Widow, a national organization for widowed people reaching nearly 500,000, and a series of book club events for women. Leslie lives in West Palm Beach with her mother, Tina, and her son, Brooks.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07V31SVNX
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown and Company (March 10, 2020)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 10, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2403 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 273 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #3,744,428 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,776 in Sociology of Marriage & Family (Kindle Store)
- #1,801 in Black & African American Biographies & Memoirs
- #6,263 in Sociology of Marriage & Family (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 232 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5

232 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers find the story warm, sincere, and relatable. They also describe the author as amazing, authentic, and hopeful. Readers describe the emotion as hope, tears, humor, and sassy. They describe the book as awesome.

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Story Emotion Reading experience Reading pace

25 customers mention "Story"25 positive0 negative

Customers find the story warm, sincere, and relatable. They also say the writing is very real and true. Readers describe the book as an excellent story of Leslie's life, saying every word was true and from her heart. They say the author examines multiple journeys, including grief, love, parenthood, and surreality. They find the book funny, moving, and beautiful.

"...It may sound morbid, but the author is skillful and upbeat and very, very, funny...." Read more

"...This book was a quick read and every word was true and from her heart. It was an honor to meet Leslie and we feel like we knew Scott." Read more

"...Her writing is very real and relatable, which means that when she takes you on her journey—through childhood; career; couplehood, growing family;..." Read more

"...The need of survival for the sake of your children. She tells it well. She gets it as no one that has not been through it ever will." Read more

22 customers mention "Emotion"22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book inspiring, raw, and heartbreaking. They also describe it as sad-funny, inspiring, and hopeful. Readers also say the author is honest, teary, and sassy.

"...It may sound morbid, but the author is skillful and upbeat and very, very, funny...." Read more

"Black Widow is funny and sad all wrapped into an author's first memoir...." Read more

"...otherwise, and parts of the story are harrowing, the book is ultimately uplifting And hopeful...." Read more

"...A heartbreaking and hilarious work of emotional genius - yeah, maybe that's better...." Read more

11 customers mention "Reading experience"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book awesome.

"...It may sound morbid, but the author is skillful and upbeat and very, very, funny...." Read more

"...Read it. Its a lovely book that will have you rooting for Leslie from the moment you start it." Read more

"This book made me laugh & cry. Wonderful & realistic description of losing your person." Read more

"...In a jaunty, loving, and thoughtful voice, the author examines multiple journeys: grief, love, parenthood and identity...." Read more

5 customers mention "Reading pace"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a quick, fun read with a satisfying ending.

"...I highly recommend this book - it’s a fast read - we read it for our Book Group and even invited the author to attend our Zoom discussion...." Read more

"...This book was a quick read and every word was true and from her heart. It was an honor to meet Leslie and we feel like we knew Scott." Read more

"...Streeter’s writing is so approachable that you can devour the book quickly, yet the story will stick with you." Read more

"...I couldn’t put the book down. It was a quick read and I do hope like other reviewers have said that we get the chance to learn more of her story...." Read more

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Sara H. Kelly

A Wonderful Antidote to the World Around Us

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2021

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Wonderful Book for Today
As we end this crazy period of our history - this is an excellent read. It’s about a black Baptist woman married to the love of her life, a white Jewish guy and then he drops dead (when they’re in their early 40s!) and did I mention that they’re in the process of adopting a child as she is processing her grief?!? It may sound morbid, but the author is skillful and upbeat and very, very, funny. She has the gift of being able to observe the absurdities in her crazy life and as the reader we laugh along with her as we gain a deeper understanding of all of these different components of her life.
I highly recommend this book - it’s a fast read - we read it for our Book Group and even invited the author to attend our Zoom discussion. Her positive energy and sense of humor is as authentic on Zoom as it is in her pages. This is a perfect book after we complete a year of COVID; it gives us permission to discover the humor and laugh at the oddities that happen to happen us when misery is around us.

4 people found this helpful

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L L-B

This book was worth it!

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2021

Verified Purchase

Black Widow is funny and sad all wrapped into an author's first memoir. We are permitted to see Leslie remembering Scott, the love of her life, after losing him tragically. This book tells it all in a story that walks us through her grief while reminiscing about the wonderful love they shared. We watch a woman deal with the reality of life and people after her experience. Leslie Gray Streeter was a writer before the tragedy and she comes to grip with Scott's death and keeps him alive in her awesome and funny book. She also shows us how life gos on. Our book club read this because a member is a personal friend with Leslie and we were honored to ZOOM with her at our recent meeting. This book was a quick read and every word was true and from her heart. It was an honor to meet Leslie and we feel like we knew Scott.

One person found this helpful

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Kimberley Spire-Oh

A Journey Worth Taking

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2020

Verified Purchase

Leslie Gray Streeter is the kind of person you would want as one of your best girlfriends—the kind who would have your back, who you could count on to tell you how it really is, and who you could share your deepest secrets with and know she would keep mum. Her writing is very real and relatable, which means that when she takes you on her journey—through childhood; career; couplehood, growing family; sudden, wrenching, early widowhood; and single-parent adoption—you (the reader) truly feel it all as if you went through it.

Other reviewers have noted how they alternately laughed and cried throughout the book. They are so right! I recognized The Bad News Room, the idiosyncrasies of mixed-race/religion families, and the struggles of trying to become a parent from my own life. But the strength, grace, and screwball goofiness that Streeter used to survive her experiences and so revealingly share them with her readers are inspiring and entertaining.

As a pop culture reporter and columnist, Streeter has an enthusiastic fan club in South Florida and other places where she has worked. It is delightful that the rest of the world will get to know her now with this gem, the first of hopefully many books.

Although the title may give the impression otherwise, and parts of the story are harrowing, the book is ultimately uplifting And hopeful. Streeter’s writing is so approachable that you can devour the book quickly, yet the story will stick with you.

11 people found this helpful

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Dawn Mertz

Yup she gets it.

Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2023

Verified Purchase

This book really digs deeply into the world of widowhood. The mixed emotions and that absence you feel. That house where you see him everywhere. The need of survival for the sake of your children. She tells it well. She gets it as no one that has not been through it ever will.

One person found this helpful

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Jeff Snow

"The words are purposes. The words are maps" - A. Rich

Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2020

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What I want to say is that Black Widow is a heartbreaking work of staggering genius, however I'm not sure Dave Eggers would be willing to relinquish his title. But he should! Because that's a pretty great description of what Leslie Gray Streeter has offered up - though I'd also like to add hilarious in there somewhere, and maybe staggering isn't quite right. A heartbreaking and hilarious work of emotional genius - yeah, maybe that's better. And I'd like to predict that just as AHWOSG was the official introduction of a great contemporary American author, so too is Black Widow.

What Streeter accomplishes with her debut book is nothing short of profound. In telling the story of her incredible love and loss, adaptation and triumphant adoption, she goes diving into the wreck (Adrienne Rich-style) and shines a light on all of it. All of it! There are dark terrifying things, dark hilarious things, the absurd, the unknown, and the super-familiar. Luckily for the reader, Streeter's many years of experience as an entertainment columnist empower the crafting of her own narrative in a way that makes you feel like you're recieving it all next to her on a stool at the bar. It's not necessarily a comfortable stool, but once the story begins you're not going anywhere.

4 people found this helpful

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PJGavigan

Heartwarming and all too real

Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2023

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Leslie Streeter is an amazing writer. I felt like I was right there with her. A painful joyful story told with incredible humor and humanity! Highly recommended!

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Top reviews from other countries

Lynn

One of the best reads I’ve had in years

Reviewed in Canada on May 7, 2020

Verified Purchase

Get this book now. It is a perfect read for isolation, and will see you through both good and bad times. It can also be enjoyed poolside — hopefully we’ll get there soon!