A book about facing adversity, building resilience, and finding joy.

We all live some form of Option B. This book can help us all make the most of it.

After the sudden death of her husband, Sheryl Sandberg felt certain that she and her children would never feel pure joy again. Her friend Adam Grant, a psychologist at Wharton, told her there are concrete steps people can take to recover and rebound.

Option B combines Sheryl’s personal insights with Adam’s eye-opening research on finding strength in the face of adversity. It explores the stories of a broad range of people who have overcome challenges in their lives, identifies how we can best talk to and help others in crisis, and offers practical tips for creating resilient families, communities, and workplaces.

Two weeks after losing her husband, Sheryl was preparing for a father-child activity. “I want Dave,” she cried. A friend said to her, “Option A is not available. So let’s just kick the shit out of Option B.”

“I recommend this book to everyone around the world. None of us can escape sadness, loss, or life’s disappointments, so the best option is to find our Option B.”

Malala Yousafzai

Nobel Peace Prize winner

“Thoughtful, insightful, and compelling. Both individually and collectively, we all need to understand the power of rehabilitation, recovery, and redemption if we are to overcome adversity. This incredible book doesn’t avoid the loss and tragedy we all sometimes encounter, but it is animated by a resolve that is both inspiring and instructive.”

Bryan Stevenson

Author of Just Mercy and founder of The Equal Justice Initiative

“Option B is as hopeful as it is heartbreaking. Here are stories of sometimes unimaginable pain and loss, but also of how human beings nonetheless have the capacity to endure and even thrive. This book is not just an absorbing read. It also provides lessons that everyone needs to learn.”

Atul Gawande

Surgeon and author of Complications and Being Mortal

“Illuminating, original, and deeply inspiring, Option B is one part riveting memoir, one part heal-your-heart boot camp, one part stories of others who learned to thrive in the face of profound loss: a practical, vital contribution to the literature on loss and resilience.”

Cheryl Strayed

Author of Wild