BOOKS & CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A LIFE THAT IS YOURS
What does it mean to live deliberately—and help our children do the same? Three companion books explore our relationships with others and ourselves, with particular relevance for parents and young people finding their own direction. They invite each of us to consider how we choose to spend the life we have.
THE QUESTION BEHIND THE BOOKS
Is the life I am living
actually mine?
Sometimes the beginning is simply noticing that something feels off.
Living deliberately begins with taking that feeling seriously.
THE LIVING DELIBERATELY COLLECTION
Each stands on its own. Together, they explore how we might live with greater honesty and respect for the brief life we are given.
The philosophical foundation
Discovering an Authentic Life
A personal inquiry into the life we inherit, the success we pursue, and the quieter experiences that reveal what matters. Begin here for the philosophy behind Living Deliberately.
Through the lens of medicine
Crossing the Red Line
Stories from the other side of the operating-room door. Humor, vulnerability and difficult moments reveal the person beneath the diagnosis—and beneath the professional role.
Through the world outside
Stories of Respect, Risk, and Meaning
Experiences in the mountains, on rivers and in open air become lessons in judgment, friendship and respect. An exploration of what happens when we participate fully in our lives.
Available in hardcover, paperback and Kindle. Individual book links open the hardcover edition; you can select your preferred format there.
View the complete series on Amazon
For bookstore, group, or event orders of 10 or more copies, please contact me about quantity discounts.
ABOUT TRACY
American-born · At home in Austria
Living deliberately has come to mean giving time and attention to the relationships that make my life feel like my own.
My roots are in rural Missouri. I graduated summa cum laude from the University of Missouri in Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, then attended medical school at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, where I also completed my residency in anesthesiology. It was during residency that I met my wife.
For years I followed a path that made sense from the outside. Medicine offered meaningful work, responsibility and a clear definition of success. Over time, I began to question what that definition was costing me in time and presence.
My life eventually led from medical practice in the United States to a different balance in Austria. Being present with my family became central to how I wanted to spend my days. I also needed room to hear my own thoughts and understand what mattered to me.
The outdoors is where those thoughts often become clearest. The noise of the world turns down for a while, allowing me to think freely and be myself. Sometimes that happens alone; sometimes it happens in time shared with someone I love. The mountains matter to me because of the experience of being there and the relationships that deepen along the way.
I take my health seriously, too. Caring for it helps me remain able to participate in the life I value. Schopenhauer’s observation that “a healthy beggar is happier than an ailing king” reminds me how easily we can overlook what makes our other pursuits worthwhile.
Arthur Schopenhauer · The Wisdom of Life · translated by T. Bailey Saunders ↗
At the center of my work is a life-affirming conviction: life is extraordinary and finite. Living deliberately means examining our assumptions and paying attention to the life we are actually living. Love, friendship, nature and ordinary shared moments have value in themselves.
I write from experience, including mistakes and uncertainty. I hope these books open conversations that help others ask their own questions honestly.
IDEAS & REFLECTIONS
Selected passages from the books, with room for the conversations they begin.
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTS
These accounts grew out of an interest in how I was choosing to live. They offer an outside view of a philosophy expressed through everyday choices, some of which run against familiar ideas of success. The Red Bulletin and SalzburgerLand pieces also appear in Life Is Amazing.
A profile of the change from a medical career to a life closer to the mountains.
Tracy Anderson im Porträt: Vom Doktor zum Bike-GuideA conversation about cycling, a change of direction and making a home in Austria.
Bikeguide Tracy im PortraitA first-person account of a winter fatbike ride above Mittersill with Tracy as guide.
Night RidersAn interview about developing opportunities for cycling in the Oberpinzgau.
Mittersill: Von der Faszination „Pumptrack” im OberpinzgauTracy contributes his perspective on gravel riding in a feature about cycling in Austria.
Führ mich zum SchotterA feature exploring gravel riding, with Tracy in the mountains around Mittersill.
Gravelbiken in TirolGerman articles open in their original language. Your browser’s Translate option can help you read them in English.
SPEAKING & CONVERSATION
I welcome conversations with young adults finding their direction, parents helping their children grow into lives of their own, and adults who sense that something is off but are unsure what to do with that feeling.
For young adults wondering what to do with their lives: exploring what matters to you, questioning inherited ideas of success, and making choices while there is still much you cannot know.
For parents supporting children and young adults: nurturing emotional intelligence, strength and independence while leaving room for the person they are becoming. This includes ADHD parenting and understanding the individual child.
For adults questioning the life they have built: work–life balance, relationships, and the value of time. The Mexican fisherman opens a conversation about money and enough—and what our efforts are meant to make possible.
Conversations can take place online or in person, with topics and format shaped around your audience. My experience in medicine also informs discussions of professional identity and balance in demanding work.
A QUESTION FOR YOU
Your interests can help shape future writing and speaking. Choose up to three topics, or suggest something of your own.
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