Episode 43: Clarissa Moll & Amanda Held Opelt

The Englewood Review of Books Podcast

The ERB Podcast is back after a summer break! Jen is joined by two first-time guests for an honest discussion about processing grief, loss and heartache, and how that intersects with the writing and reading life.
Clarissa Moll is an author, podcaster, and the young widow of author Rob Moll. Her husband’s first book, The Art of Dying, was released in April 2021 with Clarissa’s new afterword. Clarissa’s debut book, Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Walking with Grief and Thriving After Loss released with Tyndale this year.

Amanda Held Opelt is an author, speaker, and songwriter. She writes about faith, grief, and creativity, and believes in the power of community, ritual, shared worship and storytelling to heal even our deepest wounds. Amanda has spent 15 years as a social worker and a humanitarian aid worker. Her debut book, A Hole in the World: Finding Hope in Rituals of Grief and Healing released with Worthy this year.
Books and Writing Mentioned in this Episode:
If you’d like to order any of the following books, we encourage you to do so from Hearts and Minds Books(An independent bookstore in Dallastown, PA, run by Byron and Beth Borger)

• The Art of Dying: Living Fully in the Life to Come by Rob Moll & Clarissa Moll
• Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Living with Grief and Thriving After Loss by Clarissa Moll
• A Hold in the World: Finding Hope in Rituals of Grief and Healing by Amanda Held Opelt
• Telling the Bees and other Customs by Mark Norman
• Death in Early America by Margaret Coffin
• Surprised by Paradox by Jen Pollock Michel
• Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
• Telling the Truth by Frederick Buechner
• A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss by Jerry Sittser
• Black Widow by Leslie Gray Streeter
• The Hot Young Widows Club by Nora McInerny
• The Gathering of Zion: The Story of the Mormon Trail by Wallace Stegner
• Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by John Gottman
• Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God by Tim Challies
• Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
• The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris
• Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology by Neil Postman