How does a square peg survive in a world of round holes? What happens to our sharp edges as we careen into our seventh decade of a wild life? Follow this cage-rattling lady from down-and-out in Central Florida, where she finds herself unceremoniously fired and caring for her elderly, disabled, and demented husband to a renewed teaching career in Virginia. In this memoir, she reflects on the rocky path that her passions have led her down, from high-school rebel to private school founder, fr...

**The inspiration for Chloé Zhao's celebrated film starring Frances McDormand, winner of the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best ActressA Selection of the PBS Newshour-New York Times "Now Read This" Book ClubNew York Times bestseller"People who thought the 2008 financial collapse was over a long time ago need to meet the people Jessica Bruder got to know in this scorching, beautifully written, vivid, disturbing (and occasionally ...

The Year of Less In her late twenties, Cait Flanders found herself stuck in the consumerism cycle that grips so many of us: earn more, buy more, want more, rinse, repeat. Even after she worked her way out of nearly $30,000 of consumer debt, her old habits took hold again.When she realized that nothing she was doing or buying was making her happy—only keeping her from meeting her goals—she decided to set herself a challenge: she would not shop for an entire year.The...

The New York Times bestselling work of undercover reportage from our sharpest and most original social critic, with a new foreword by Matthew Desmond, author of EvictedMillions of Americans work full time, year round, for poverty-level wages. In 1998, Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them. She was inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which promised that a job—any job—can be the ticket to a better life. But how does anyone...

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings will inspire and uplift readers with its stories of optimism, faith, and strength. In bad times, and good, readers will be heartened to find something good in each day. A great Christmas gift and start to the New Year.What are you thankful for today? This uplifting book reminds readers of the blessings in their lives, despite financial stress, natural disasters, health scares and illnesses, housing challenges...

What makes you happy? Others share how they found their passion, purpose, and joy in life in these 101 personal and exciting stories that are sure to inspire and encourage readers to find their own happiness.Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Happiness will encourage readers to pursue their dreams, find their passion and seek joy in their life with its 101 personal and inspiring stories. This book continues Chicken Soup for the Soul’s focus on inspiratio...

In this New York Times bestseller, Janice Kaplan spends a year living gratefully and transforms her marriage, family life, work, and health.On New Year’s Eve, journalist and former Parade editor in chief Janice Kaplan makes a promise to be grateful and look on the bright side of whatever happens. She realizes that how she feels over the next year will have less to do with the events that occur than her own attitude and perspective. Getting advice ...

NATIONAL BESTSELLERA charmingly relatable and wise memoir-in-essays by acclaimed writer and bookseller Mary Laura Philpott, “the modern day reincarnation of…Nora Ephron, Erma Bombeck, Jean Kerr, and Laurie Colwin—all rolled into one” (The Washington Post), about what happened after she checked off all the boxes on ...

"Well-plotted, well-written, clear-eyed. I never saw the end coming. There's a hell of a one-two punch waiting for you." —Stephen KingNew York Times bestseller Laura Lippman tells the story of Amber Glass, desperately trying to get away from her tabloid past but compulsively drawn back to the city of her youth and the prom date who destroyed everything she was reaching for.Amber Glass has spent her entire adult life putting as much...

**“A remarkable journey. I laughed. I cried. I got another cat.” —Lily Tomlin“Paula Poundstone is the funniest human being I have ever known.” —Peter Sagal, host of Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me! and author of The Book of Vice**“Is there a secret to happiness?” asks comedian Paula Poundstone. "I don’t know how or why anyone would keep it a secret. It seems rather cruel, really . . . Where could it be? Is it deceptively simple? Does it melt at a certain tem...

The authors of the national bestseller The Power of Nice once again tackle conventional wisdom with a provocative and counterintuitive book about the importance of sweating the small stuff in our lives and in our careers.Our smallest actions and gestures often have outsized impact on our biggest goals. Did you double-check that presentation one last time, or hold the elevator for a stranger? Going that extra inch--whether with a client, customer, family me...

In the Age of Disposables—fashion, phones, glasses, and even friends!—some people are finding joy by rediscovering the simple life. They’re cleaning house, both literally and figuratively, and finding themselves better for it. By getting rid of excess “stuff” and trimming down their over-filled schedules, they feel happier and more fulfilled than ever before. It’s really true that little can go a long way.With Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Less, sp...