Supersurvivors

May 5, 2014
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.”

February 15, 2014

You've heard the phrase "the power of positive thinking"? The authors challenge it in this study of triumphing in the wake of trauma, showing realistic expectations with an underpinning of hope and support are more likely to succeed. Kravetz himself survived a battle with cancer at age 29, which changed his thinking. Plenty of other success stories are listed, from the businesswoman who became an international rock star after her bout with cancer to a badly injured basketball player who became a Hollywood stuntman. With a 50,000-copy first printing.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2014
Two psychologists provide a nontechnical exploration of how certain people not only survive trauma, but actually thrive after a traumatic experience.Feldman (Counseling Psychology/Santa Clara Univ.; co-author: The End-of-Life Handbook: A Compassionate Guide to Connecting with and Caring for a Dying Loved One, 2008, etc.) and Kravetz use artfully described case studies to demonstrate their point, while also avoiding excessive psychological terminology. The authors base each chapter on a particular aspect of change in the trauma victim-e.g., individuals such as anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, who was forced to reassess her understanding of the world around her after tragedy: in her case, the loss of her son in the Iraq war. For others, there is an awakening to faith, as in the case of social activist James Cameron, who testifies that he was saved from lynching by God. There are also intensely powerful stories of forgiveness, such as that of Clemantine Wamariya, who survived the slaughter in Rwanda, followed by life as a refugee. However, the very aspect that makes the book approachable also limits its effectiveness. The authors' work is largely anecdotal in nature and does not delve into true analysis of the supersurvivor phenomenon. Though they provide some discussion of the psychological, physical and social aspects of these survivors' stories, readers are left wondering just how often a trauma survivor thrives in such ways, and why. Nevertheless, the book is uplifting and provides hope for the human condition. Feldman and Kravetz's closing story-about Nobel Peace Prize recipient Betty Williams-is particularly riveting. Her life was drastically changed one day when she witnessed a senseless sectarian killing in Northern Ireland. Instead of recoiling, she acted and began a peace movement that changed the history of that country.Hope for the endurance of the human spirit in the face of tragedy.

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