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Ep. 283: Happier Podcast Book Club: Renowned Writer Ann Patchett Talks about Family, Forgiveness, and Memory in “The Dutch House”—and a Spotlight on Trevor Noah.
Episode 283
We talk to writer Ann Patchett about her powerful, compelling novel “The Dutch House.” Plus we shine a spotlight on Trevor Noah and his memoir “Born …
5 years, 11 months ago
Little Happier: Habits Are the Invisible Architecture of Everyday Life
A passage from Christopher Alexander’s beautiful book The Timeless Way of Building is a good reminder of the importance of having habits that make ou…
5 years, 11 months ago
Ep. 282: Do Good to Feel Good, Bruce Feiler Suggests Two Questions to Ask Yourself to Help Manage Transitions, and a Spotlight on Octavia Butler
Episode 282
We discuss why one way to overcome COVID-19 listlessness is to do good for other people, explore some Know-Yourself-Better questions to help manage t…
5 years, 11 months ago
Little Happier: Do You Know the Famous Story of the Fox and the Sour Grapes?
One of Aesop’s most famous fables, and writer Virginia Woolf agree: it’s important to resist the temptation to deny the truth about what we really wa…
5 years, 11 months ago
Ep. 281: Start a Social-Issues Book Club, a Deep Dive into the Problem of Flaky Friends, a Hack for Great Quotations, and a Spotlight on Author Jason Reynolds.
Episode 281
We discuss why you might start or join a social-issues book club, we talk about ways to incorporate your favorite quotations into everyday life, we t…
5 years, 11 months ago
Little Happier: Often, It’s the Small Gestures of Thoughtfulness that Make Us Feel Loved
A friend explained to me why her daily habit of making lunch came to have so much importance to her son.
Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; podcast@gretche…
5 years, 11 months ago
Ep. 280: Very Special Episode: We Discuss Questions from Listeners about the Four Tendencies Personality Framework, and a Spotlight on Samantha Irby
Episode 280
For this Very Special Episode, Elizabeth and I discuss listener questions related to my “Four Tendencies” Personality Framework of Upholders, Questio…
5 years, 11 months ago
Little Happier: Someone’s Casual Comment Can Show Us an Entirely New Path for Ourselves.
Acclaimed writer Nnedi Okorafor describes how a friend’s casual comment redirected her life.
Get in touch: @gretchenrubin; podcast@gretchenrubin.com
G…
5 years, 11 months ago
Ep. 279: Halfway Through 2020: Check In with Your #20for2020 list and #Walk20in20—and a Spotlight on “Just Mercy.”
Episode 279
The year 2020 is halfway over, so we check in with our “20 for 2020” lists and our “Walk 20 minutes in 2020” projects, and we talk about Bryan Steven…
6 years ago
Little Happier: Illustrator Quentin Blake’s Use of Negative Space Is a Reminder of Its Possibilities.
Illustrator Quentin Blake drew on the walls of a gallery exhibit—a great reminder that we shouldn’t overlook the possibilities of negative space.
Get …
6 years ago