Sandberg writes in OPTION B : FACING ADVERSITY, BUILDING RESILIENCE AND FINDING JOY about her own heartbreaking experience with an honesty that is then translated into a powerful and practical guide for anyone trying to build resilience in his or her own lives.

It’s one part memoir and one part “heal-your-heart boot camp”.

There’s a great cartoon at the start of Chapter Two titled “Kicking the Elephant Out of the Room”. Sandberg couldn’t understand why friends didn’t ask how she was after her husband died. She felt invisible as if she was standing in front of them but unseen. If someone has a cast on – you ask ‘how did that happen? How are you?’ but if your life gets shattered, they don’t. She realized later that sometimes she had also been that friend who avoided painful conversations. Avoiding feelings isn’t the same as protecting feelings she further explains in the chapter.

The title comes from two weeks after losing her husband, Sandberg was preparing for a father-child activity. “I want Dave” she cried. Her friend replaced, “Option A is not available,” and then promised to help her make the most of Option B. We all live some form of Option B and this book helps to make the most of it.