Book excerpt: The eloquent voices in Holiday Tight, Letting Go speak of different reality; that women with metastatic breast cancer generally go on to live with their disease, often for many years, and that the time they have can be full and meaningful. All aspects of dealing with the disease are covered here: coping with the shock of recurrence, seeking information, making treatment decisions, and communicating effectively with medical personnel. Getting emotional support from other patients and friends and working on relationship and family issues are often as important as managing the side-effects of treatment and the pain and symptoms of disease progression. Open discussions about approaching the end of life often lead to a profound inquiry into ways of keeping hope alive and finding meaning in the midst of adversity. Frank and moving descriptions from forty women and men who have been there make their stories relevant to anyone facing a life-threatening illness.