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The Happiness Project Read Along — Wednesday Discussion, January 22 — 7 Comments

  1. I love your method for coming up with a middle ground how to figure out when spending will make you happier. It’s definitely been on my mind as well, I’ve been using it with the decluttering process as well, ‘Will keeping this buoy my happiness or will it just remain down here in the dark?’

    I’ve also found myself becoming a little too overzealous in thinking of what spending is making me happy and I have to remember that even though purchasing something won’t bring happiness to me, when I’m with my husband it might make him happier, so it’s sometimes better letting it go, smiling and agreeing with him. (I’m talking a shower caddy, not a 65″ plasma TV.)

  2. Pingback:The Happiness Project Read Along Part 3 #WSchat @joyweesemoll | Bay State Reader's Advisory

  3. I think it’s a great idea to have some kind of “spiritual” master. I have several: Frida Kahlo, Julia Child, Georgia O’Keefe, Anne Lamott. . . (It’s no coincidence that Karen Karbo has written a book on most of them.)

  4. Joy, it’s interesting that we agree on not reading memoirs about tragedy. Quite honestly, I found Gretchen’s approach to “learning” about others’ pain a bit shallow (see my post). I love how you’ve addressed the money issues here. The fact that I gave that chapter short shrift in my post is a pretty good indication that I need to focus on those issues.

    I’m not sure I would have picked up The Happiness Project if it weren’t for your challenge, but I’m glad to be reading it.

    On another note: my second book for the month was supposed to be Dani Shapiro’s Still Writing. Instead, I’m reading a wonderful little book about writing memoir by Marion Roach Smith–The Memoir Project–that Lori Sailiata recommended. (It was easy to take on the plane this past weekend!) I’ll report on Smith’s book at some point; it’s a worthwhile read, especially for those who aspire to write memoir but for any writer, really.

  5. I liked Drop Dead Healthy, too, and I like your idea of having a fun read on your phone for whenever you have a spare few minutes. I have read several of what Gretchen calls memoirs of catastrophe and I see them more as she does, maybe: Someone else survived a tragedy, tragedies do happen much as we wish they didn’t, I will learn from this writer’s experience to deal with my own personal tragedy when I need to.
    So interesting to hear what others are thinking! Thank you for hosting this read-along!

  6. Pingback:Mini-Bloggiest Starting Line | Joy's Book Blog

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