Dead Set on Living: Making the Difficult but Beautiful Journey from F#*king Up to Waking Up

by Chris Grosso

Chris Grosso invites us to sit in on conversations with beloved luminaries and bestselling authors such as Ram Dass, Lissa Rankin, Noah Levine, Gabor Mate, and Sharon Salzberg to discover why people return to self-defeating behaviors—drugs, alcohol, unhealthy eating, sex, media—and how they can recover, heal, and thrive.

In his recovery from drugs and alcohol, Chris Grosso has stumbled, staggered, and started all over again. In an effort to understand why he relapses, and why many of us return to the myriad of other self-defeating behaviors despite our better judgment, he went to bestselling authors, spiritual teachers, psychologists, doctors, and more, and asked them why we tend to repeat mistakes in our lives, even when we know these actions will harm us and the ones we love.

In Dead Set on Living , Chris shares these intimate conversations and the practices that have taught him to be more loving, compassionate, and forgiving with himself as well as new meditation and healing techniques he learned through his journey.

Unabashedly honest and inspiring, Dead Set on Living is essential reading for anyone seeking a path towards triumph over adversity, understanding the human condition, and rebuilding relationships after promises have been broken.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Buddhism, Self Help, Philosophy

336 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2018

About the author

Chris Grosso is an independent culturist, freelance writer, spiritual aspirant, recovering addict, and musician. He serves as spiritual director of the interfaith center The Sanctuary at Shepardfields, writes for Huffington Post, Rebelle Society, Intent blog and is a correspondent for the Where Is My Guru radio show. He created the popular hub for all things alternative, independent, and spiritual with TheIndieSpiritualist.com and continues the exploration with his debut book titled Indie Spiritualist (Beyond Words/Atria Books, February 2014). A self-taught musician, Chris has been writing, recording, and touring since the mid-1990s.

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a phenomenal read. Not only does Gross reveal his own vulnerability but he offers with the help of multiple leaders in recovery, so many approaches to relapse, coming back and spirituality that you will find yourself connecting with something. In-between Grosso finds a more mutual voice and a compelling stance on the connection between his addiction recovery and his spiritual quest and it’s something we call all learn from.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains quite a bit of good content regarding spirituality and relapse. I struggled a bit with the flow of the book. It felt more like a collection of book reports than a cohesive look into an investigation of relapse and a spiritual response to it. I would recommend this read to those who struggle with chronic relapse and/or the concept of god/a higher power/spirituality in recovery.

[Jennifer Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many beautiful points to actual living in this book. I really enjoyed the variety of practices it offered as well.

[Hugh Minor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every so often, if you’re lucky, the messages you need to hear come along at just the right time. This book met me where I was at and highlighted many ways to get me to the next level. I just have to do the work! A great read for anyone in recovery or anyone who has simply struggled with the emotional trauma of living.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

High 3 stars. I’m torn on this one. I wish I had read the paper book instead of listening to the audiobook. The tone adopted for each person was irritating — especially the “female” voices. I’m sure there is a ton of good in this book ... or is it just a collection of other people’s work? Torn. I think this book is well worth reading if addiction has touched your life in any way!

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not me, my imaginary Guardian Angel did it for me. Stories from people who not only are valueless, but they also know it.

[Kit · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Chris clearly has a lot of wisdom to share in his recovery, and is brave for facing up to his chronic relapsing, but the book was not well written.

One example:

"The problem is that we're in stress response about 70% of the time in modern culture. I was up at sixteen thousand feet in the Andes with the Q'ero tribe in Peru and discovered that this is not the case for them. Society is so different there, but in our culture we're in stress response more than fifty times a day."

That's it. No studies cited. No expansion on these anecdotally observed societal differences. Just a meaningless brag coupled with what could be data he just made up on the spot.

There might be some value somewhere for those in early recovery or who struggle with constant relapses, but it really does read like a badly (read: barely at all) referenced high school essay throughout, and I found it extremely tough to get through.

[robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book composed of short chapters on pulling yourself together, basically, each a conversation with a different sort of practitioner from a different walk of life. The author struggles with addiction and relapse, and a lot if not all of the book focuses on forgiving yourself, healing yourself, understanding yourself.

I gave it 5 stars not because everything resonated with me - it's such a broad selection of philosophies and people, there's no way it could - but because in almost every chapter there was at least one thought, one sentence, that did. When you get down to the real basics of existence, we're more alike than we are different.

I'd liken this book to shopping at a nice thrift store; you may find a few things with the price tag still on but by and large, everything there is already broken in and you know it fit at least one person before you. I find that heartening.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just ADORED this book and this young wild spirit who I follow on Facebook and in his other books. His past rocky road of pain and redemption have led to much wisdom that reaches out to the forgotten in prisons and to disaffected lost youth in pain & anyone who needs hope. The experts he interviews were young and old, addicts and spiritual teachers from Ram Dass to Gabor Mate and many others. The amount of learning and wisdom I received was invaluable. I have just ordered the audio book and another paper copy I can lend out. He touches my heart and soul and is in my prayers for his continued mountainous life journeys and helped me better understand my clients who struggle in similar ways. Studying trauma and it's effects I find so very very important personally and professionally

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a healthy mix of pragmatism and spirituality in regards to changing your life. The perspective is written by that of a former addict with the focus on readers who are currently dealing with addiction, and he pulls in readers who aren't necessarily managing substance abuse but who may be dealing with food/sugar addiction, sex addiction, or even TV addiction.

There are moments where he shares how-to instructions for different meditations, and I don't think that written language is the best medium for this sort of practice so I took off a star. I personally lose interest when reading or listening to step-by-step instructions that are read in a mechanical way (as opposed to a video with matching vocal variety and tonality to the practice.)

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening

An intriguing way to look at approaching personal problems. I believe in the body/mind connection, adding a spiritual aspect, whatever your beliefs may add depth and substance. Well written book, I enjoyed the chapter/practice structure. Very interesting perspectives. Chris writes about what he knows, but the content can be applicable to all things considered debilitating and addictive.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This felt like a rehash of "Everything Mind: What I've Learned about Hard Knocks, Spiritual Awakening, and the Mind-Blowing Truth of It All". Not that its bad but it didn't add much new to the table. The swearing also got grating in this book. It felt disingenuous almost like he was being molded into a character.

[Amanda Morrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know that this book was about addiction. I know that addiction is a lifelong battle. It's hard to read a book about one man's battle with relapse when I know be already has two books that deal with his other relapses.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite out of the series, but all of Chris Grosso's journeys are so heartfelt and surreal. I appreciate his courage to metaphorically keep paddling to keep his head above the waters while sharing and feeling real moments in this experiential realm.

[Greg Soden · Rating 5 out of 5]

For helping to peel back the layers...