Adversity is an irreducible fact of life. Although we can and, should, learn from all experiences, both positive and negative, bestselling author, Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal, believes that adversity is by far the best teacher most of us will ever encounter. Whether the adversity one experiences is the result of poor decision-making, a desire to test one's mettle or plain bad luck, Rosenthal believes life's most important lessons - from the value of family to the importance of occasionally cutting corners - can be best learned from it. Running counter to society's current prevailing message that "excellence" must always be aspired to and failure or mistakes of any sort are to be avoided at all costs, Rosenthal shows that engaging with our own failures and defeats is one of the only ways we are able to live authentic and meaningful lives and that each different type of adversity carries its own challenges and has the potential to yield its own form of wisdom. Using stories from his own life - including his childhood in the apartheid-era of South Africa, his years after suffering a violent attack from a stranger and his career as a psychiatrist - as well as case studies and discussions with well-known figures like Viktor Frankl and David Lynch, Rosenthal shows that true innovation, emotional resilience, wisdom and dignity can only come from confronting and understanding the adversity we have experienced. Even when life is hardest, there are meanings to be found, riches to be harvested and gifts that can last a lifetime. Rosenthal illustrates his message through a series of compact, memorable chapters, each one drawn from episodes in the lives of his patients, colleagues or himself and concluded with a take-away maxim on the lesson learned. "Insightful ...could help many of us cope with life's inevitable obstacles ...The book's titular message-that adversity can be a gift-is especially relevant now." -Jane Brody, The New York Times "Will help you see the value in your struggles ...Arguing that personal growth can't happen without setbacks, Norman Rosenthal challenges readers to re-interpret adversity as a key element of empathy, maturity and success. " -New York Daily News "Dr. Rosenthal catalyzes conversations around adversity with tales of wisdom and survival that we can all treasure." -Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. "Rosenthal captures both the complexity of our emotions and the pragmatics needed to harness them, and he does so with humor and grace." -Andrew Solomon, author of Far from the Tree