Endorsements
Advance Praise for The Enigma of Grief & the Sublime
“Johnson mounts a vigorous inquiry into the essential nature and many manifestations of grief and its bond with the sublime, especially in the context of the arts. His analysis of this unique relationship is both deeply personal and profoundly thoughtful. Pickett's trenchant observations on music are integrated into Johnson's premise with care and authority.”
John David Earnest, composer. New York, NY
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“The Enigma of Grief and the Sublime is a unique book in that one must make a commitment to experience what the authors hope to impart. As one who struggled with incomplete mourning after the sudden death of his parents, this book reveals a pathway to natural grief, a far better place. For me, the book’s new insights using music, art, and ‘pairing periods’ to accompany patients on the journey to natural grief was a revelation. The Enigma of Grief and the Sublime has much to say about aesthetics and philosophy, yes, but for clinicians it will be most useful to those confronting ‘Persistent Grief Disorder’; it provides new insights into how better to think about it and treat it, and therefore it’s essential.”
Joseph Wujek, MD, FACOG (retired)
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“I find this book to be illuminating and helpful in understanding grief. I’m particularly drawn to the idea of sublime sadness. This concept resonates to me both artistically and personally. The authors point out numerous artistic examples illustrating the idea. As a jazz musician, I particularly liked the example of ‘Blue in Green’ from the Miles Davis Sextet. I would mention the recording, ‘Mood’ from the Miles Davis Quintet 1965 recording E.S.P. as another example of sublime sadness. Sublime sadness from my personal experience occurred a few days after my mother died. I was playing in an orchestra performing Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Requiem’ and wondering if I was going to make it through the concert under the circumstances. However, I found being part of the performance of this masterpiece was not only painless, it was also very cathartic! This book has helped me to understand that experience much more clearly!”
David Glenn, trombonist, composer, Associate Professor of Music (retired)—Whitman College
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“Beautifully written, profound and original essays on the subject of grief, as expressed in art, sculpture, music (classical and jazz), and deeply empathic psychotherapy. The range and specificity of the supporting examples is extraordinary, the cultural literacy astonishing. A wonderful read for mental health practitioners, for those with an interest in aesthetics, and those who are simply intellectually curious. Highly recommended.”
Franklin G. Maleson, MD, Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst, Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia; Faculty, Sidney Kimmel College of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
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“I feel so enthused about the manuscript I have been fortunate to read I can’t stop telling people about The Enigma of Grief and the Sublime. This book will take its place in the history of science, art, and philosophy. It offers so much compassionate wisdom and inspiration that what is found in its pages is simply food for the soul.”
Pat Stanley Matthews, Broadway and film actress, dancer, and singer (now retired) [e.g., Goldilocks, Sunday in New York (Broadway version, with Robert Redford), The Ladies’ Man (with Jerry Lewis)
Available September 2025
Published by Robert Arnold Johnson in affiliation with Fearless Literary
Paperback | 146 pages
Ebook edition available
ISBN: 979-8-218-67826-5