Welcome!
With this first post on my new (and improved) site, I want to welcome you and thank you for visiting. I also want to share some good news. We learned last night that The Survivors Club will debut at #8 on The New York Times bestseller list. It’s a thrilling way to get started and I’m very grateful to all the readers who picked up the book right away. I’m also indebted to the good folks at Hachette Book Group and Grand Central, my publisher, for launching the book with incredible support.
I’d also like to give a quick shout-out to Maegan Carberry and Tamas Cser for helping to create this Website.
To all of you reading this first blog, again, thanks for stopping by. I hope you’ll share your thoughts and visit often.
Tags: Grand Central, Hachette Book Group, Maegan Carberry, New York Times bestseller, Tamas Cser, The Survivors Club
February 6, 2009
Way to go Ben!!!!! love the survivors club website…..
February 7, 2009
Ben –
Read your excellent book this week and have been telling everyone about it. Couldn’t put it down. My job was eliminated almost 4 months ago, and I’m working daily to find a new one, so some nights I get 10 hours of sleep and some nights find me wide awake. And this week your book was there to help me get through those sleepless nights, reading about extraordinary survivors who have gone through MUCH MORE than I’m going through, and it certainly helps to put things in perspective. And you’re an exceptional writer, which makes the stories very readable. At 2 a.m., I’d tell myself that I had to get to sleep, but on the other hand, I just had to read another story. It’s amazing how much research you’ve done for this book and how many experts were consulted who sound fascinating themselves, with all the experiences they’ve had and gotten through and ended up with PhD’s in some unusual speciality. Makes all things seem possible, even when they don’t appear to be. Thank you so much for putting down on paper all of this fascinating information and the stories of all these incredible survivors. I have a feeling I’ll be reading it again down the road, it was such an interesting read. And now TheSurvivorsClub.org is on my “favorite” list, so I’ll be checking it regularly for inspiration and to continually get a perspective on things. From the day I was let go, I’ve continued to be told that people are astounded at how well I’ve handled the dismissal. But it was totally out of my control, and from my own life experiences, I’m looking at it as the space between trapezes: I’ve let go of one and I’m just waiting to catch the other one. And there are people going into work daily who hate every minute of their jobs, and there are wealthy people who are miserable, so all in all, I think I’m doing just fine. On to the next interesting part of my life. Thanks again, and the best to you and yours. Diane Berendt
February 8, 2009
Funny.. I use your Eat the Elephant and Hug the Monster ..philosophy almost daily ..( and a cup of green tea doesn’t hurt ) ..and share this philosophy with my four children. Having been a single parent since ‘ 97… sometimes.. this philosophy as well as.. ” what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger ” .. is my daily mantra. Lately ..it is almost too difficult to deal with what’s going on.. esp. when you are Middle Class treading water ..not wanting to fall into a Socialisn abyss.( maybe we really aren’t Middle Class anymore..but.. I don’t want to know.. ). But .. with the four all recently graduated.. ( Temple..Monmouth..Rutgers..Marymount )and the job market evaporating… it seems hopeless..totally hopeless..
February 10, 2009
Way to go on the NY Times list. I will have to find out when the book is available in the UK. As an American living in a small town in Scotland, I don’t stand much of a chance finding a job at this point. Even the natives are finding it very difficult. It’s been over a year since I was let go from my last job. But I keep trying, because I’m not one to give up. I wonder if I would have more luck back in America, but my Scots husband can’t leave here due to health problems, and needs the NHS. We don’t sweat things too much, though. I know from past experiences that it could be much worse. My family is grateful for what we DO have.
February 19, 2009
I am a survivor. My youth was run by a crazy woman, my mom. My adulthood has been spent making sure others have what they need. I was homeless at 16, and had to make tough decisions. I had much responsibility from an early age, but I did my jobs. I was socially out of step for all my childhood, so I had no friends to comfort me. I learned to use psychical strength to get things done, and now find I have damaged my body from this. So now I have to adjust how I do things, as I relied on myself so much for so long.
I give more than I get, and I keep on giving. My karma helps me through days of ill health and the flairing tempers of others.