In the summer of 1976, the terrible suspicion is confirmed: Maxie Wander is suffering from cancer and will die from it a year later. This collection of diary entries and letters allows the reader to accompany her during this phase of her life. With a clear perspective and sharp self-irony, she describes her odyssey through the treatment rooms of various doctors, the speechlessness in the face of illness, and the intensity that life acquires when it is no longer taken for granted. Even in the darkest moments, Maxie Wander captivates with her fascination for the small things in life, her will to live, and her self-awareness: life would be a great alternative. A title that became a maxim for readers in both East and West, turning her writings into a cult book.