February 1, 2023
How to seek out life's little delights. Spiegel, an author and inspirational speaker, writes from experience on how to balance moments of grief and hardship with sparks of joy. The author shares the pain of her grandparents' deaths, losing a classmate to tragedy, and friends she grew up with dying from AIDS. Death and loss are unavoidable, of course, but Spiegel is insistent that we should grow from tragedy and rediscover joy. Microjoys "often emerge from the muck" of despair, heartbreak, and personal chaos, and discovering them has brought clarity and great wisdom to the author. Spiegel inspires readers to find these gifts for themselves within a series of brief chapters that relate a variety of anecdotes about her everyday life--e.g., her neighborhood spice shop in Brooklyn, her beloved mother's legacy of outspokenness and cake baking, a nature walk, or the excitement when she and her husband left Manhattan six months into the pandemic and moved into a larger apartment with a glassed-in sunroom. Embedded within these moments are subtle expressions of interactive love and appreciation as well as practical reminders that we are at our best when we accept life's paradoxes and problems with hopefulness and grace. Spiegel concludes each chapter with a boxed "consider this" note as a reflection point, driving home the importance of savoring small yet magical moments. She implores readers to slow down and look around, and don't be too self-critical. "You don't always have to be all things to everyone," she writes, "including to yourself." Throughout these brief snippets, Spiegel urges readers to appreciate "that love and loss are close dance partners in this lifetime," and "once we've journeyed the depth of loss...from the core of our being comes the capacity to seize every experience differently." A thoughtful reminder to appreciate the seemingly slight elements of life that can bring unexpected glee.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
February 1, 2023
Spiegel has had her share of tragedies, including the loss of close family members and surviving breast cancer. It is during these times, however, that she began searching for a way to "learn the perseverance to gently hold grief in one hand and joy in the other." In a series of thoughtful essays, the author recalls times when joy peaked in her life through the acts of truly seeing life around her, listening attentively to conversations, and perceiving others' feelings. Spiegel begins with observations about a variety of experiences, ranging from visits to a local spice shop to a trip to India to a memory of her mother's homemade birthday cakes. Spiegel opens her heart to share emotional events made bearable by what she calls ""microjoys."" And finally she speaks of the relationships made whole by her focus on joy. Each memory leads to a "consider this" segment in which the author urges readers to open their minds and hearts and welcome glimpses of joy and beauty. This lovely book can be repeatedly sampled and savored.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
June 10, 2024
In 2020, Spiegel (A Year of Positive Thinking) experienced the death of two family members, the serious illness of another family member, and a breast cancer diagnosis, all in the middle of a global pandemic. The experience left her feeling depleted and searching for joy and happiness, which led her to microjoys--easily accessible "tiny, beautiful things" that keep one grounded and serve as reminders of the goodness of everyday life. Anyone can experience these microjoys, but they must be consciously observed via mindfulness and reflective awareness. In a series of brief essays, Spiegel shares some of her own microjoys--finding a polka-dot glass in a thrift store that matches an incomplete set and the pleasures of gift-giving. Each essay wraps up with a prompt that can be used for reflection, meditation, or journaling, allowing readers to consider--and celebrate--the microjoys in their own daily lives. VERDICT Spiegel's relatable approach, free of toxic positivity, will resonate with readers looking for a thoughtful way to reflect on the joys of everyday life, even when times are difficult.--Nanette Donohue
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