Supersurvivors: The Surprising Link Between Suffering and Success

Feldman and Kravetz seek the special spark that separates those who grow and thrive from adversity and those who simply survive. Using real-life examples—including a breast cancer survivor, an athlete who lost a leg, and a marathoner diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor—the authors examine the common denominators in each case and what turned each into a person determined to use a tragic event as a springboard for personal and global change. The authors believe that blinding optimism can actually make situations worse; instead, they promote the idea that a grounded hope—believing that, in the face of all contrary evidence, something better is possible—is what separates survivors from “supersurvivors.” These supersurvivors also believe in control over one’s own destiny; acknowledge the past, forgive, and let traumatic experiences go; have realistic expectations; and recognize their own mortality while making the conscious decision to live life to the fullest. “We intended to write a book about how a few extraordinary people had survived trauma,” the authors claim, and “with the help of supersurvivors... we ended up writing about how every one of us can live more fully.” (July)