Against Terrible Odds
Lessons in Resilience from Our Children
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2001, paper
ISBN 978-0-923521-48-6
Against Terrible Odds is an exploration of resilience, the capacity in every child to overcome his or her traumatic experiences. We are introduced to the lives of children who have lived through the horrors of war, incest, poverty, and racism, yet have become successful and thriving adult human beings.
The media thrives on stories of children at risk, whose early years have been marked by the brutality, suffering, abuse, and trauma which tabloid journalism has made into daily headlines. They are labeled victims and then relegated to failure because it is believed such children could not possibly rise beyond their circumstance. Everyone is saddened by these stories, but we accept them as part of the fabric of social disintegration.
But, what if the stories are not all sad? What if there are stories of children, like the ones in this book, who found many different ways to transcend their years of suffering, using a variety of resources, and ultimately prevailing against the odds. Organized very simply around a five themes–War, Affliction, Trauma, Poverty, and Prejudice, Against Terrible Odds pursues a simple idea-we can all learn from, and be inspired by, the most unlikely heroes who have made a difference as individuals.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Children of War
Chapter 2 - Children of Affliction
Chapter 3 - Children of Trauma
Chapter 4 - Children of Poverty
Chapter 5 - Children of Prejudice
Chapter 6 - Conclusions and Reflections
Chapter 7 - Important Addendum
Authors
Saul Levine, M.D., is the author of four books and numerous professional articles. He is the Director of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science Programs at Children's Hospital in San Diego.
Heather Wood Ion is a writer, cultural anthropologist, and bioethicist. She is a consultant and frequent speaker on improved health care delivery systems.