The Book of Delights: The life-affirming New York Times bestseller

· Hachette UK
4.3
3 reviews
Ebook
288
Pages
Eligible
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About this ebook

A heart-warming and joyful collection of short lyric essays, reminding us of the purpose and pleasure of praising, extolling and celebrating ordinary wonders

'Pure balm for your soul'
CELESTE NG, author of Little Fires Everywhere

'His delight is infectious. It's hard to read Gay and not to be won over'
SEATTLE TIMES

Among Ross Gay's funny and philosophical delights: a friend's unabashed use of air quotes, cradling a tomato seedling aboard an aeroplane, the silent nod of acknowledgement between the only two black people in a room.

More than anything, Gay celebrates the beauty of the natural world - his garden, the flowers peeking out of the sidewalk, the hypnotic movements of a praying mantis.

The Book of Delights is about our shared bonds, and the rewards that come from a life closely observed, and serves as a powerful and necessary reminder that we can, and should, stake out a space in our lives for delight.

Ratings and reviews

4.3
3 reviews
Skip Blaha
May 9, 2022
I had a wonderful experience with this book. I think it is best approached from an understanding that you are reading about events or moments that someone else delights in, to luxuriate in these memories and try and see them from the author's perspective, or pehaps more accurately, relate to these moments with your own memories or your own 'delights'.
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About the author

Ross Gay is the author of The Book of Delights, a genre-defying book of essays, and three books of poetry: Against Which, Bringing the Shovel Down, and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude. He is also the co-author, with Aimee Nezhukumatathil, of the chapbook "Lace and Pyrite: Letters from Two Gardens," in addition to being co-author, with Richard Wehrenberg, Jr., of the chapbook, "River." He is a founding editor, with Karissa Chen and Patrick Rosal, of the online sports magazine Some Call it Ballin', in addition to being an editor with the chapbook presses Q Avenue and Ledge Mule Press. Ross is a founding board member of the Bloomington Community Orchard, a non-profit, free-fruit-for-all food justice and joy project. He has received fellowships from Cave Canem, the Bread Loaf Writer's Conference, and the Guggenheim Foundation. Ross teaches at Indiana University.

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