Surviving Cancer is a blend of poems, short reflections, and spiritual notes that trace Frederick Douglas Harper’s journey through cancer, aging, gratitude, and faith. It moves from personal stories about illness and recovery to broader meditations on history, injustice, friendship, love, and the fragile beauty of life. Many pieces are short and direct. Others feel like private conversations caught on the page. Across the book, Harper circles back to survival, divine protection, and a deep belief that life still has purpose for him after cancer, a theme he states openly in his introduction and early poems such as “Cancer: A Sweet-and-Sour Experience” and “God Had My Back.”

Reading this book felt a little like sitting with someone who has lived many lives and refuses to hide what any of them meant. I found myself pulled in by the plainness of the writing. It surprised me how steady and open his voice stayed, even when he talked about pain or fear. I felt that steadiness most in the pieces about his surgery and chemo, where he shares his relief, his gratitude, and even his frustration in simple, almost conversational lines. There was something honest in how he chose clarity over polish. It made me slow down and listen.

What moved me most was how wide he cast his net of concern. On one page, he reflects on his own scars. Next, he is calling America to stand up to injustice, to mourn the Trail of Tears, or to speak softly to someone who feels broken. I felt warmth rising off these pages. I also felt a kind of stubborn hope. There were moments when I wanted the book to push deeper into the contradictions of survival, but even when it didn’t, I could feel Harper’s heart working hard to stay open. That sincerity hit me harder than I expected. It reminded me that writing can be a kind of prayer or maybe a hand held out to strangers.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy reflective writing, people who are healing from illness, anyone who leans toward spiritual or faith-colored poetry, and anyone who wants a book that speaks plainly about gratitude and survival without pretending life is perfect. It drifts and circles back, yet that wandering shape fits a man who has lived through fear and come out wanting to share whatever wisdom he has gathered. I felt comforted, and I felt nudged to think more tenderly about my own life.

Pages: 175 | ASIN : B09RSVZ32H