Surviving Has Made Me Crazy

by Mark Nepo, Richard Frankel (Foreword)

Poet and philosopher Mark Nepo was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma in 1987. His journey back to health awakened a new life. In his latest book, Nepo explores how sacred and useful everything is. As such, this book is for everyone, not just for those facing illness or pursuing poetry. The poems affirm that surviving has more to do with our authenticity than our longevity. The sixty-eight poems gathered here are the culmination of many years of inquiry. As a teacher, Nepo has journeyed with others around these themes across the country and abroad. In leading spiritual retreats, in working with healing and medical communities, and in his teaching as a poet, his work is widely accessible and used by many.

Genres: Poetry

148 pages, Paperback

First published February 16, 2007

About the author

Mark Nepo is a poet and spiritual teacher whose work explores inner transformation and the courage to stay open to life. Known for the bestselling The Book of Awakening, he has written more than twenty books and created numerous audio projects that invite readers to reflect, heal, and deepen their relationships. A cancer survivor, he often describes his illness as a turning point that shaped his understanding of presence and vulnerability. After many years teaching literature and poetry, he devoted himself to writing and guiding others through workshops and retreats. His reflections have been featured widely, including on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday, and he continues to write about living with authenticity and attention.

Reviews

[Alex Tibbetts · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But the mind's a Trojan Horse.

It's larger than poetry and medicine combined."

Nepo puts complex ideas into simple and beautiful terms. I will likely come back to this book when I lack the ability to describe what I am feeling.

[Jackie Trexler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful! Though this book is relatively short, it took me almost a year to get through, because it seems like each poem deserves a week of contemplation all to itself before you feel ready to move on to the next one. Having this book on my bedside table at night was such a comfort--it seemed like every time I needed encouragement, I'd find just the right poem within these pages. Sometimes I'd cry (I still do on occasion) and sometimes I'd snicker quietly, but every time I'd come away from these pages with a new sense of self-awareness. I still read some of my favorites almost weekly, and each time I return to them I always discover something I hadn't noticed or hadn't considered before, keeping everything fresh. Mark Nepo's words and--more importantly--ideas have truly captivated me, I'm so glad I've found this book!

[Sarah Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life changing poetry for anyone struggling through something difficult in their life. I read the first poem and it literally left me breathless. The way he uses metaphor and imagery to describe trauma and the trauma of pain is so vivid that I think this is as close an explanation of the experience of putting the pieces of your life back together, and then attempting to step back into the real world again. Here's an excerpt called Living Through Things, "When wiggling through a hole / the world looks different than / when scrubbed clean by the wiggle / and looking back."

[Jennifer Louden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Mark's. He gave me this book and while the poems do center around illness to some degree, they transcend the story of his survival to be about how we can all survive. Contains two of my very favorite poems.