Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant

Co-owner and Editor Tara Huck shares:

Option B: Acing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant

I received Option B: Acing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy (Knopf, 2017)by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant in a used-book exchange last month. It came with a glowing recommendation. I was skeptical. However, it’s better than I expected.

I was aware of Sheryl Sandberg and her first book Lean In (Knopf, 2013), which I hadn’t read. I snubbed my nose at her work, thinking it was probably written by an out-of-touch executive.

While it is true that it is difficult to relate to the lifestyle of Sandberg, I can empathize with tragedy; we all endure hardship. The book is well supported with credible research that encourages the reader to understand strategies to move through a period of grief.

Resilience is something that can be built. The book provides practical advice on how one can grow in developing resolve to not only survive but also find joy despite the overwhelming sadness that accompanies tragedy. In addition, the book suggests ways we can support loved ones going through grief that comes from the death of a loved one, a diagnosis, a financial loss, or other heartbreaks.

Reading this book, as the first one of 2026, has inspired me to think about resilience and the courage it takes to carry on during the darkest of times. I’m glad I read it at a time when I am not experiencing heartache, and that I can build my capacity for resilience, because I recognize no one escapes hardship.