LIVING WITH ADVERSITY, eighteen personal accounts

151pp., paperback, African Sun Media, Stellenbosch, 2026 

ISBN: 9781998951796

This collection of essays by individuals experiencing physical, psychological, and social hardship such as chronic illness, disability, psychiatric conditions, disfigurement and public shaming, documents the challenges as well as how people cope and adapt.

“This fascinating collection will be invaluable for readers who wish to prepare themselves for facing adversity, learn from how others have handled it, compare others’ experiences and coping strategies with their own, or gain better understanding of what many people in the world go through. The editor’s introduction thoughtfully explores what these accounts reveal about the human condition and our awareness of suffering.” Iddo Landau, Professor of Philosophy, University of Haifa

“In Living with Adversity, Professor David Benatar assembles a collection of first-person accounts of living with one or more adverse conditions. Some of these conditions are psychological or psychiatric, some are physical, but all are causes of suffering. Professor Benatar’s thoughtful introductory chapter provides a framework for readers to appreciate the pervasiveness and diversity of adversity, much of which is hidden or otherwise not usually shared. Life sometimes includes wonderful moments but always includes adversity and suffering. Living with Adversity offers readers an opportunity to recognize that they are not alone in their suffering, but instead that suffering is endemic to life.” Todd K. Shackelford, Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology, Oakland University

David Benatar is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town.