Mark Nepo is a poet and philosopher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for over thirty years. A New York Times #1 bestselling author, he has published twelve books and recorded six audio projects. Recent work includes a new book of teaching stories, As Far As the Heart Can See, (HCI Books, audio book by Simon & Schuster, Sept 2011), Finding Inner Courage (Conari, 2011, originally published as Facing the Lion, Being the Lion, 2007), audio books of The Book of Awakening and Finding Inner Courage (CD Box Sets, Simon & Schuster, 2011), and Staying Awake (CD Box Set, Sounds True, February 2012). His most recent book of poetry is Surviving Has Made Me Crazy (CavanKerry Press, 2007). As a cancer survivor, Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship.

本書是紐約時代的最暢銷書。

當一個人麵臨死亡時，是不是會突然領悟人生的意義所在呢？是不是會象保爾同誌所想到的那樣，為瞭人類的福祉而不留遺憾。抑或是你迴想起你的人生所走過的路，點點滴滴，有幸福，有悲傷的。這個時候，你突然想，如果你能將所有走過的日子寫成日記，在決彆這個世界時，你的人生就留下瞭記錄，你的生命的價值就有意義瞭。

本書的作者，詩人Mark Nepo就是這樣做的。身患癌癥的他在得知這個消息後，以日記的形式寫下瞭他對人生的領悟。