Adversity is an irreducible fact of life. Although we can and should learn from all experiences, author Dr. Norman Rosenthal believes that adversity is by far the best teacher we will ever encounter. Running counter to society's current prevailing message that things should always run smoothly and that failure or mistakes of any sort are to be avoided at all cost, this book shows that setbacks are inevitable. Using stories from the author's own life, including his childhood in apartheid-era 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, he reveals that true innovation, emotional resilience, wisdom, and dignity can come only from confronting and understanding the adversity we have experienced.