Book Review: Tips on Staying Alive

At the beginning of the month, I reviewed a book called Reasons to Stay Alive. Now, I'm highlighting a book called Tips on Staying Alive by L. Neal Pearcy. I met the author at an author fair and we enjoyed good conversation. Pearcy is a ten-year cancer survivor. His little book can be broken down into two sections. The medical half is insightful; the story half is inspiring.

Tips on Staying Alive is an articulate, well-organized book. It provides tons of leads on places to secure information if you are battling illness. In fact, if you purchase the eBook version you can more easily follow the many provided links. Pearcy hooked me in the first sentence:

"The average life expectancy in the United States is 76.1 years, according to 2022 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."

I began calculating how many more years I may have left if the CDC estimation is close. Since I'm facing a significant milestone year, it was unsettling. I read with interest the explanations of terms, outlines of treatments, and suggestions for staying alive longer. I fully intend to create some encouraging promises (or statements) to post around my computer and other areas in the house to encourage a positive outlook.

My favorite chapter, though, was the final one. What an interesting and unusual life Neal Pearcy has lived! He has triumphed over astonishing adversities. This makes his wisdom in the first half of the book credible and valid. He offers the heartfelt story of his challenging childhood. If someone can withstand and overcome parental death, abandonment, isolation, and low self-esteem, they can overcome illness with that same determined spirit. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read Pearcy's book.