Title: Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy
Author: Sheryl Sandberg
First published April 24, 2017
240 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780753548288 (ISBN10: 0753548283)
Rating: 3.85
Overview
In Option B, Sheryl Sandberg and psychologist Adam Grant provide practical advice on building resilience and moving forward after life’s setbacks. Sandberg shares her personal experience of grief after the sudden death of her husband and how she found her way back to joy.
The book explores how people from all walks of life have overcome adversity, including illness, job loss, sexual assault, natural disasters, and war. Sandberg and Grant reveal that resilience can be developed like a muscle and that support from others is crucial.
Option B offers insights on how to help others in crisis, develop compassion for ourselves, raise strong children, and create resilient families, communities, and workplaces. This book is a powerful tool for anyone facing life’s challenges and looking to find hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
About the Author
Sheryl Sandberg is a highly accomplished businesswoman who currently serves as the chief operating officer at Facebook. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the company’s day-to-day business operations.
Prior to joining Facebook, Sheryl held various leadership positions, including serving as the vice president of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google, chief of staff for the United States Treasury Department under President Clinton, and working as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company. She also worked as an economist with the World Bank.
Sheryl attended Harvard University, where she earned her BA summa cum laude. She also holds an MBA with highest distinction from Harvard Business School.
As an author, Sheryl has published several bestsellers, including Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, Lean In for Graduates, and the upcoming Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, which she co-wrote with Wharton professor and bestselling author Adam Grant. Sheryl is also the founder of the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to create a more equal and resilient world through its two initiatives, LeanIn.Org and OptionB.Org (which launches in April 2017).
In addition to her work with the foundation, Sheryl sits on the boards of Facebook, the Walt Disney Company, Women for Women International, ONE, and SurveyMonkey.
Editoral Review
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg is a poignant and insightful memoir exploring the author’s journey through grief and loss after the sudden death of her husband, Dave Goldberg. Sandberg, the Facebook COO, writes with candor and vulnerability about her struggles to cope with the devastating loss and rebuild her life for herself and her children.
The book falls under the genre of self-help and personal development, but it also has a memoir-like quality to it. The writing style is engaging, and the narrative flows smoothly, taking the reader on an emotional journey through Sandberg’s experiences.
The book has a significant cultural and historical significance, given that it was written at a time when the world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has delivered unprecedented losses and grief. Option B is divided into three parts, each of which explores a theme related to overcoming adversity and building resilience.
The first part talks about tragedy and what it takes to overcome it. The second part delves into resilience and the strategies that people can use to develop it.
The final part navigates through finding joy, growth, and meaning after a loss. Sandberg tells her story with remarkable vulnerability, and the reader feels like they are walking beside her on the journey through grief.
With powerful analogies and stories from her life, Sandberg emphasizes the importance of post-traumatic growth, the need to ask for help, and the significance of building a community of support. She also delves into the complexities of grief and the emotions that often complicate the journey through loss.
Option B is a masterful work of writing, and Sandberg’s storytelling draws readers in and captures their hearts. The book has few flaws, but readers can pick up some repetitive ideas throughout the book.
Additionally, some readers may find some of the advice too simplistic or inadequate, as grief can vary from person to person. The book is recommended for anyone going through a rough patch, struggling to find their footing or just looking for some words of inspiration.
It is a valuable resource for resilience development and post-traumatic growth. Option B is an inspiring and moving book that offers hope in the face of adversity.
The book delivers a score of 4.5 out of 5, based on its compelling message, writing quality, and the ability to resonate with readers.
