Beyond Survival

When life loses its meaning, when suddenly the world isturned upside down, when there's nothing left that resembles life as we'veknown it, where do we find the strength and sustenance to go on? For navalaviator Jerry Coffee and others who were held as prisoners of war in NorthVietnam, there was only one choice: go within.Beyond Survival isa journey into the invincible human spirit that unites heart and mind in acompelling and unforgettable experience. Drawing from his seven years as a POW,Captain Coffee provides timeless lessons that apply to the physical, emotional,and ethical challenges of everyday life. Proving that leadership and creativityare possible in difficult and uncertain circumstances, Captain Coffee offers amessage we can draw on in any trying situation. His story demonstrates thatconviction must come from within, and in telling that story, he touches theplace inside us where growth begins. BeyondSurvival is a positive statement about love and commitment in the midst ofwar and division. It contrasts the cold reality of war, degradation, andtorture with the warmth of human connections, inner serenity, and kinship withall life. It poignantly illustrates that to be stripped of everything thatis familiar and by which we identify ourselves leaves us with only what unitesus-our human identity. It conveys truths about relationships at every level:with ourselves, with others, with our country, and with our God.Without inflaming the wounds inflicted by America'sinvolvement in Vietnam, Beyond Survivalexplores an issue at the heart of every free society: the willingness ofordinary individuals to maintain a passion for freedom so compelling thatadversity strengthens rather than weakens personal resolve in the worst ofcircumstances. Through Gerald Coffee's story you will discover the universalprinciples of survival and triumph that empower anyone to overcome adversity.