Option B

In 2015, Sheryl Sandberg's husband, Dave Goldberg, died suddenly at the age of 48. Sandberg and her two young children were devastated, certain that their lives would never again be filled with joy or true meaning. A few weeks later, Sandberg was talking with a friend about the first time a father and child had a fatherless encounter. They came up with a plan for someone to replace him. "But I want Dave," she cried. Her friend put his arm around her and said, "Option A isn't available. Let's eliminate option B." Everyone goes through some form of option B. We all face loss: lost jobs, lost loves, lost lives. The question isn't whether these things will happen, but how we cope when they do.

Thoughtful, honest, revealing, and heartwarming, Option B weaves together Sandberg's experiences dealing with adversity with new findings from Adam Grant and other social scientists. The book features stories of people who have recovered from personal and professional hardships, including illness, injury, divorce, job loss, sexual assault, and incarceration. These people did more than just recover—many of them became stronger.

Option B offers compelling insights for dealing with difficulties in our lives and helping others in crisis. It turns out that post-traumatic growth is common—even after the most devastating experiences, many people not only recover but actually bounce back. And pre-traumatic growth is possible, too: People can build resilience even if they haven't experienced tragedy. Sandberg and Grant explore how we can raise strong children, build resilient communities and workplaces, and find meaning, love, and joy in our lives. Sandberg writes, "Dave's death changed me profoundly. I learned about the depth of grief and the cruelty of loss. But I also learned that when life drags you to the bottom, you can hold on until you collapse, rise to the surface, and breathe again."