THERE’S A FLYING SQUIRREL IN MY COFFEE

In solid, homespun prose, inspirational speaker and melanoma survivor Goss (The Luckiest Unlucky Man Alive, not reviewed) offers wisdom gleaned from his battle against cancer.

“Being a pilot and breaking the sound barrier was all I ever wanted to do,” writes Goss. The day after he did both, he learned he had malignant skin cancer and might have only six months to live. Believing that “most fears can be conquered through greater understanding,” he immediately started learning all he could about his cancer. Radical surgery was in his immediate future, but he also came to understand the importance of such everyday things as drinking enough water and taking advantage of the salubrious effects of fiber and garlic. On the spiritual level, he tried to tap into those elements of life that meant the most and made him feel good: family, friends, faith, focus, and fun. Avoiding a hard sell, Goss suggests that “the five Fs” worked for him, providing welcome structure and resources he could rely on. Also critical was the bond he created with a life-loving flying squirrel named Rocky. Goss set some goals (to see his twin children graduate from elementary school) and took on projects like restoring a cabin in the woods (the great outdoors never ceases to fill him with joy) to provide a sense of purpose and direction. He hit the talk-show circuit after an earlier book and a contribution to one of the Chicken Soup collections caught the attention of producers from The 700 Club to The Howard Stern Show. He stumped to increase the nation's awareness of just how important it is to detect cancers early. A bombastic final chapter on fighting the war against terrorism as one would fight cancer cells doesn't obscure the fact that Goss has nobly locked horns with a deadly and frightening disease and survived for (so far) seven years.

Homely advice of enduring quality.