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4th out of 59 books
—
11 voters
Surviving Survival: The Art and Science of Resilience
The shark attacked while she was snorkeling, tearing through Micki Glenn's breast and shredding her right arm. Her husband, a surgeon, saved her life on the spot, but when she was safely home she couldn't just go on with her life. She had entered an even more profound survival journey: the aftermath. The survival experience changes everything because it invalidates all you...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
September 10th 2012
by W. W. Norton
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I picked up this book because I was very interested in the topic of how people recover (or don't) from traumatic, life-threatening events. I don't think Gonzales has more real answers to this question than could fill a long magazine article.
Full length review: http://perpetualspiralreviews.blogspo...
Full length review: http://perpetualspiralreviews.blogspo...
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It doesn't matter if you have had an "event" or not. You should read this book.
Gonzales writes the drama of the events magnificently. You could read the book for that. And, where people have let him into their daily lives, post-event, where they cope with the loss, the day-to-day *living*, that is where the book shines.
I found great comfort in knowing I didn't have to "talk through" the craziness that happened to me. That sublimation was a great thing. In fact, he suggests
- Sublimation
- Altruism...more
Gonzales writes the drama of the events magnificently. You could read the book for that. And, where people have let him into their daily lives, post-event, where they cope with the loss, the day-to-day *living*, that is where the book shines.
I found great comfort in knowing I didn't have to "talk through" the craziness that happened to me. That sublimation was a great thing. In fact, he suggests
- Sublimation
- Altruism...more
I benefitted greatly from reading this highly useful guide for coping with life's worst stressors. Although this book was written by a journalist (not a doctor, scientist, or mental health professional), it contains excellent insights and an abundance of information relevant to both professionals and the general public. I would highly recommend it to anyone working in the mental health field, or anyone struggling with serious problems in life (which is most people). I didn't agree with every sin...more
I enjoy Laurence Gonzales' writing style immensely. He writes with a sense of immediacy that will keep you from putting down this book in favor of any other activity. This book was written as an amendment to his earlier book "Deep Survival" wherein he writes about extreme danger and the people involved in these events. This book, "Surviving . . ." is about what happens AFTER they survived: how did their life change, how do they cope with what has happened to them, the brain changes that took eff...more
Completely fascinating. And if anything horrible has happened to destroy your life, this book might actually bring you genuine help and relief.
Loved the confirmation that state of consciousness my brain enters while I write is most like that of a state we normally enter only while asleep. Makes sense, because I certainly feel the *exact* same feeling of grogginess when I come out of writing, as when I come out of sleep. Also it's interesting that walking induces theta rhythms in the hippocampus...more
Loved the confirmation that state of consciousness my brain enters while I write is most like that of a state we normally enter only while asleep. Makes sense, because I certainly feel the *exact* same feeling of grogginess when I come out of writing, as when I come out of sleep. Also it's interesting that walking induces theta rhythms in the hippocampus...more
Feb 04, 2013
Vanessa
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
survival story readers, behavioral therapists, how-to-succeed-in-business types
Shelves:
survival
I picked up Surviving Survival because I enjoyed Gonzales' earlier book Deep Survival. While I have never been in a survival situation, I have been deeply disappointed. I have been profoundly affected by stories such as Touching the Void writer Joe Simpson’s. Simpson, for those who don’t know, made and executed a choice to go deeper into the glacier in which he was trapped. He had a broken leg at the time, which could have been a death sentence. "When you're going through hell, keep going" and a...more
Brilliant book. The stories of the survivors are compelling and memorable. But what makes this book even more worth reading is the way in which Laurence Gonzales then uses these stories as a way to talk about the strategies these remarkable people used to deal with the ongoing memories of the traumas they had lived through. His explanations of how our brains (and bodies) deal with life after survival are fascinating. Best of all is the list of characteristics humans have developed to deal with l...more
My curiosity got the better of me on this one. The idea of resilience being both art and science piqued my interest, so I picked it up and devoured it. I've actually been rereading it as there are aspects that seem to apply to my own life, and it's becoming kind of an instruction manual as I make my way through this relocation business.
The science is fascinating! He does a really good job of explaining the science, and offering examples of the science at work. It's rather interesting that, thou...more
The science is fascinating! He does a really good job of explaining the science, and offering examples of the science at work. It's rather interesting that, thou...more
Jul 16, 2012
Pamela Brossman
marked it as to-read
I read an excerpt of this new book (due out in September) in More Magazine on my Kindle and it was really interesting. The excerpt told the story of a woman who survived a shark attack and how she came to terms with the tragedy and restoring her life. The skills she used to wake up each day and overcome her sorrow and fears are skills we can all use in any kind of trial we face. I am anxious to read the whole book and apply those skills even in the little dilemmas I face.
Had to skip through the rather gory descriptions of the croc and shark attacks, but found the scientific explanations fascinating (emotion & reason, stress & cortisol, chemical changes in the brain, cortisol & implicit/explicit memories).
My takeaway:
p200 "Leon Weliczker Wells appears to have known this secret: that our lives are written in the indelible ink of memory. And only by writing over those memories in bolder script can we ever hope to tame them."
My takeaway:
p200 "Leon Weliczker Wells appears to have known this secret: that our lives are written in the indelible ink of memory. And only by writing over those memories in bolder script can we ever hope to tame them."
A very interesting book about what happens after surviving a traumatic event. Not limiting itself to PTSD, it explores coping, resilience, emotion and starting over with intense case studies and eloquent explanations based on neuroscience.
But Gonzales also makes a few dubious claims in his attempt to wax lyrical about the evolution and nature of being human. Without proper referencing it's hard to distinguish fact from fanciful and unsubstantiated musings.
But Gonzales also makes a few dubious claims in his attempt to wax lyrical about the evolution and nature of being human. Without proper referencing it's hard to distinguish fact from fanciful and unsubstantiated musings.
The horrifying survival tales were quite interesting to read, ranging anywhere from grizzly attacks to Nazi concentration camps. This book also doubled as a crash course in advanced psychology, exploring the brain’s emotional capacity. The self-help advice for trauma recovery was somewhat redundant. I was disappointed that the author didn't expand more on the self—a person’s spirit. At times, it felt like he was reducing humanity to nothing more than electrical impulses and instinctual reactions...more
Interesting book about the ways people deal with survival situations (sharks, crocodiles, bears, the holocaust - all different people mind you) and the aftermath. Occasionally some of his conclusions feel like a stretch but you will come away with a handful of interesting tips. Easy read.
Really interesting read about how to weather the storms of life, even if you've never experienced trauma on the scale of a shipwreck or bear attack. The science behind the subjects' behavior was fascinating and clearly explained. Made me want to read his earlier book, "Deep Survival."
Intense and, at times, difficult to read due to the types of personal stories. The author is honest about who is he, why he is writing, and about the outcomes of the stories which have been generously shared with him.
He is not a scientist, and this is not a long term study with control groups on resilience. But for anyone who has ever suffered a trauma and for anyone who has tried to help someone post traumatic event, so much guidance, support, and basic knowledge can be gained from this work.(...more
He is not a scientist, and this is not a long term study with control groups on resilience. But for anyone who has ever suffered a trauma and for anyone who has tried to help someone post traumatic event, so much guidance, support, and basic knowledge can be gained from this work.(...more
Very thought provoking and fascinating book....why do some people thrive and others don't in the face of trauma? Great follow up to his previous book, Real Survival. I would highly recommend this for anyone interested in grief, loss, recovery.
Jan 27, 2013
Theresa
added it
An inspiring book about the tactics used by people to overcome horrifying events in their lives. The exploration of multiple tactics demonstrates that overcoming adversity is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Excellent read! The mind is a fascinating thing! This book is aptly titled! Gonzales uses a compelling collection of tales from everyday people faced with situations that are beyond horrifying to discuss how people survive surviving after a traumatic experience. It's written with compassion, grace and honesty. I would recommend this to everyone!
compelling examination of what happens after 'the smoke has cleared' - both physiologically and experientially... nice mix of personal stories and science.
Good ideas on how to move past the trauma of, say, a shark attack or a shipwreck, but no mention of God anywhere, which to me is a fatal flaw.
I think that this book needed to be either longer or shorter to be really great. Going to check out his other book about survival though. Interesting topic.
I found this book very interesting, having survived a terrible tragedy. The lessons learned and advice are excellent.
I read about twenty pages. Couldn't go any further. Its written like a Lifetime movie script.
Only half-way through, but incredible insights into the human brain and mapping neurons to heal from traumatic stress. Loving it.
Picked up a few interesting facts and horrifying tales...
A very practical and helpful -- immediately applicable! -- guide to how we survive and can thrive after traumatic injury. Full of stories of people who have endured horrific injury -- shark attack and military combat to name two -- and have taken small, specific, realistic steps to overcome all that they could. The balanced and realistic approach of Laurence Gonzales' book is refreshing -- there is no 'pop psych' here; no false hope. Highly recommended for trauma survivors as a guide ... and for...more
Perfect follow up to Deep Survival.
SM
A brilliant book, filled with both the harrowing stories of survival and the long neglected aftermath, chocked with neuroscience and strategies to both understand and cope with the trauma that life seems to bring to all of us. This book should be treasured and awarded with every award it's possible to give it. This book is destined to be a classic.
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Feb 08, 2013 10:50pm