Resilience: The New Afterword: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities

By Elizabeth Edwards

In the year since the publication of her second memoir, Resilience, Elizabeth Edwards has once again found herself living in the glare of the media spotlight.  Now, in an eloquent, intimate, and emotionally powerful new afterword to her #1 national bestselling book, she offers readers a window into her world at a time when she is required to adjust once more to a new reality and to forge a new life for herself and her children.  
   In writing candidly about the gulf between her private self and her public image, the dissolution of her thirty-year marriage, and the blessings she continues to find in family, friends, and strangers, Elizabeth comes to grips with the narrative of her life story and reflects on who she is and what she wants for her future.  Anyone who has followed Elizabeth’s story will want to read this thoughtful and affecting new chapter from one of America’s most beloved female role models.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jun 29, 2010
• ISBN: 9780307885401

Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies in Aberystwyth. Her research focuses on women’s writing, travel writing and Welsh writing in English. Her publications includes English-Language Poetry from Wales 1789-1806 (University of Wales Press, 2013) and Richard Llwyd: Beaumaris Bay and Other Poems (Trents Editions, 2016).

Reviews for Resilience

[misfev · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Democratic or Republican, it simply does not matter when reading this book. Elizabeth Edwards frank and at times excruitating look into her personal life is a great gift. She deals with the life-altering death of her son, cancer, and her husbands affair with grace, determination and dignity; but also gives the reader a sense that she is not un-human like in her grief, anger, and pain.

[schoolnurse_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this book for my book club. I am not a real fan of nonfiction but I really liked this book. It was easy to read and encouraging. I didn't know anything about the author's background or story before reading this book either. Although the subject matter is sad, I would recommend this book to others. I was sad to hear the author lost her fight with breast cancer but the message of her book will live on.

[latorreliliana · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very heartfelt bio. Unfortunately she portrays her marriage as wonderful,when in fact it has come to light that her husband had not been true to his vows for some time.. She keeps going and that is what shines through.

[donura1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Elizabeth Edwards is honest, and forthright about prioritizing the losses one may suffer in their lifetime. I was drawn to read this book, after hearing her interviewed several times. We shared the common bond of a mother who has lost a son. It was an important read for me to affirm my feelings regarding my loss and gain some insight into the act of moving forward no matter how many times you fall back.

[deaconbernie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very conflicted book. When discussing her deceased older son, she seems almost frantic; when discussing her cancer she seems to be sitting on the sidelines observing herself; and when discussing her husband's indiscretion (her word), she just sort of matter of fact. Additionally, it is amazing to me how she can compartmentalize her life for the purposes of writing the book. It isn't until near the end that she mentions all three of her tribulations together. She is a remarkable woman, a very intelligent person with great wisdom.

[cailin_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Elizabeth Edwards is an amazing woman living her life with dignity and grace. She confronts issues in her life in this book head on and manages to maintain her dignity. She states flat out if you're looking for a scandalous story about her husband you shouuld stop reading. It's difficult to read because her life has been beset with tragedy but you appreciate her all the more.

[fiorghra_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Elizabeth Edwards is an amazing woman living her life with dignity and grace. She confronts issues in her life in this book head on and manages to maintain her dignity. She states flat out if you're looking for a scandalous story about her husband you shouuld stop reading. It's difficult to read because her life has been beset with tragedy but you appreciate her all the more.

[livelylady · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Edwards talks about her life's losses and how she has adjusted. It is painfully clear that the loss of their 16 year old son to a freak car accident is her major loss. Her coping with anything else is less drastic. She comes across as a strong, balanced woman, who has worked hard to get to that place. What I liked best and found the most hopeful....she has opened a furniture store in NC. This is her store, her place, where she is known for herself. I love that!

[whisper1_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an honest book written by a woman who endured much pain, both physically and emotionally.Presidential hopeful John Edwards was a family man who seemed to love married life. Trusted by his wife and emotionally supported by her when he ran both for a senate seat and as a presidential hopeful, he systematically destroyed that trust when he lied, claiming a one night stand with Rielle Hunter was the extent of his relationship with her.Tragically, his lie was compounded when Elizabeth discovered that the relationship was ongoing.While it may have cost Edwards his political career, the emotional price his wife paid was much higher.Battling breast cancer, sadly, she died in 2010.This is not a sour grapes book, rather it is a story told of loss of a son who died suddenly in a car accident at the age of 16. Then, struggling to survive extreme grief, she discovered a mass which lead to the diagnosis of breast cancer. Bad news came in three for Elizabeth when her fortitude and faith was again challenged upon learning of her husband's very public lies and deception.All these topics are dealt with in a non-bitter fashion. This is a woman to be emulated and admired. She dealt with her adversities head on with dignity and grace.The harshest comment was that John's choices were very poor, leading the reader to know that Elizabeth felt Rielle was not a person of high moral caliber.

[dablackwood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Elizabeth Edwards is a fluent and beautiful writer. She has a knack for getting to the core and making it real. I loved her first book though it was hard to read. The painful grieving process after the death of her oldest child was breathtaking and horrible. In this book she writes about the death of her child again, plus her fight with breast cancer and her situation with the infidelity of her husband. Any one of these three is too much to bear, and yet, she has borne all three and can write about the pain and not seem like a suffering victim. She has had much more financial success than most, but much more tragedy that many. I find it hard not to be impressed with her.

[ei214 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was suprised how this book got my attention from the first few pages. Very well written, honest. Elizabeth put into words many of the thoughts I had and feelings I experienced, after losing my young husband when I was 31 and left with two little girls to raise. The loss of her son is tragic. It is interesting how she found support through the internet - something I have been doing for years - and was glad to see the benefits of internet support written about in such a positive light. It was sad when she inevitably lost her battle with cancer, but she knew you have to life to the fullest with whatever time you are given. I also thought it was interesting how he talked about her marriage with John; perhaps she never fully understood (or wanted to) the depth of his infidelity anymore than she wanted to believe the likelihood of her father's indiscretion. It's hard to accept betrayals by those we love and trust because it makes a lie out of the life we think we are leading. An excellent, fast read.