Joyful, Anyway

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER New York Times bestselling author and Duke University professor Kate Bowler offers a profound, funny and deeply human case for joy that doesn’t depend on everything getting better. ‘Bowler interrogates the idea of a meaningful life, not just for ourselves but for others, too. I value her work so much’ PANDORA SYKES 'A delight from start to finish, Joyful, Anyway embodies the mix of pleasure and aching that makes us human' KATHERINE MAY, AUTHOR OF WINTERING ' Joyful, Anyway is colourful and layered, unafraid of the occasional gut-punch of raw feeling and vulnerability - much like Kate Bowler herself' JERRY SEINFELD 'A deeply moving everyday masterpiece. I loved it' ELIZABETH GILBERT, AUTHOR OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE You can't always be happy, but you can be joyful, anyway. After surviving a stage-four cancer diagnosis, Kate Bowler knew she was supposed to be grateful. Alive. Blessed. But she still ached – for more connection, more surprise, less resentment on an ordinary day. So she went looking for joy. Not the toxic positivity kind. Not a five-step plan. But the type that sneaks in unexpectedly, seemingly out of nowhere. In Joyful, Anyway , Bowler takes us on a hilarious and tender journey through big questions and small delights. With wry wit and deep honesty, she explores how joy can surprise us even in the middle of pain, boredom and longing. This is not a book about fixing your life. It is about how we can all find more and feel more, by making room for small extraordinary moments. For anyone who has ever felt stuck, who is aching for meaning, who feels undone by loss, who feels that joy is just out of reach, who wants, simply, to have more fun, Joyful, Anyway is a delicious, insightful tour through the questions that sit in the deepest part of our souls. It proves that for every time we ask: Is this it? Joy will answer: there is more .

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER New York Times bestselling author and Duke University professor Kate Bowler offers a profound, funny and deeply human case for joy that doesn’t depend on everything getting better. ‘Bowler interrogates the idea of a meaningful life, not just for ourselves but for others, too. I value her work so much’ PANDORA SYKES 'A delight from start to finish, Joyful, Anyway embodies the mix of pleasure and aching that makes us human' KATHERINE MAY, AUTHOR OF WINTERING ' Joyful, Anyway is colourful and layered, unafraid of the occasional gut-punch of raw feeling and vulnerability - much like Kate Bowler herself' JERRY SEINFELD 'A deeply moving everyday masterpiece. I loved it' ELIZABETH GILBERT, AUTHOR OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE You can't always be happy, but you can be joyful, anyway. After surviving a stage-four cancer diagnosis, Kate Bowler knew she was supposed to be grateful. Alive. Blessed. But she still ached – for more connection, more surprise, less resentment on an ordinary day. So she went looking for joy. Not the toxic positivity kind. Not a five-step plan. But the type that sneaks in unexpectedly, seemingly out of nowhere. In Joyful, Anyway , Bowler takes us on a hilarious and tender journey through big questions and small delights. With wry wit and deep honesty, she explores how joy can surprise us even in the middle of pain, boredom and longing. This is not a book about fixing your life. It is about how we can all find more and feel more, by making room for small extraordinary moments. For anyone who has ever felt stuck, who is aching for meaning, who feels undone by loss, who feels that joy is just out of reach, who wants, simply, to have more fun, Joyful, Anyway is a delicious, insightful tour through the questions that sit in the deepest part of our souls. It proves that for every time we ask: Is this it? Joy will answer: there is more .

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER New York Times bestselling author and Duke University professor Kate Bowler offers a profound, funny and deeply human case for joy that doesn’t depend on everything getting better. ‘Bowler interrogates the idea of a meaningful life, not just for ourselves but for others, too. I value her work so much’ PANDORA SYKES 'A delight from start to finish, Joyful, Anyway embodies the mix of pleasure and aching that makes us human' KATHERINE MAY, AUTHOR OF WINTERING ' Joyful, Anyway is colourful and layered, unafraid of the occasional gut-punch of raw feeling and vulnerability - much like Kate Bowler herself' JERRY SEINFELD 'A deeply moving everyday masterpiece. I loved it' ELIZABETH GILBERT, AUTHOR OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE You can't always be happy, but you can be joyful, anyway. After surviving a stage-four cancer diagnosis, Kate Bowler knew she was supposed to be grateful. Alive. Blessed. But she still ached – for more connection, more surprise, less resentment on an ordinary day. So she went looking for joy. Not the toxic positivity kind. Not a five-step plan. But the type that sneaks in unexpectedly, seemingly out of nowhere. In Joyful, Anyway , Bowler takes us on a hilarious and tender journey through big questions and small delights. With wry wit and deep honesty, she explores how joy can surprise us even in the middle of pain, boredom and longing. This is not a book about fixing your life. It is about how we can all find more and feel more, by making room for small extraordinary moments. For anyone who has ever felt stuck, who is aching for meaning, who feels undone by loss, who feels that joy is just out of reach, who wants, simply, to have more fun, Joyful, Anyway is a delicious, insightful tour through the questions that sit in the deepest part of our souls. It proves that for every time we ask: Is this it? Joy will answer: there is more .

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER New York Times bestselling author and Duke University professor Kate Bowler offers a profound, funny and deeply human case for joy that doesn’t depend on everything getting better. ‘Bowler interrogates the idea of a meaningful life, not just for ourselves but for others, too. I value her work so much’ PANDORA SYKES 'A delight from start to finish, Joyful, Anyway embodies the mix of pleasure and aching that makes us human' KATHERINE MAY, AUTHOR OF WINTERING ' Joyful, Anyway is colourful and layered, unafraid of the occasional gut-punch of raw feeling and vulnerability - much like Kate Bowler herself' JERRY SEINFELD 'A deeply moving everyday masterpiece. I loved it' ELIZABETH GILBERT, AUTHOR OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE You can't always be happy, but you can be joyful, anyway. After surviving a stage-four cancer diagnosis, Kate Bowler knew she was supposed to be grateful. Alive. Blessed. But she still ached – for more connection, more surprise, less resentment on an ordinary day. So she went looking for joy. Not the toxic positivity kind. Not a five-step plan. But the type that sneaks in unexpectedly, seemingly out of nowhere. In Joyful, Anyway , Bowler takes us on a hilarious and tender journey through big questions and small delights. With wry wit and deep honesty, she explores how joy can surprise us even in the middle of pain, boredom and longing. This is not a book about fixing your life. It is about how we can all find more and feel more, by making room for small extraordinary moments. For anyone who has ever felt stuck, who is aching for meaning, who feels undone by loss, who feels that joy is just out of reach, who wants, simply, to have more fun, Joyful, Anyway is a delicious, insightful tour through the questions that sit in the deepest part of our souls. It proves that for every time we ask: Is this it? Joy will answer: there is more .

New York Times bestselling author and Duke University professor Kate Bowler offers a profound, funny, and deeply human case for joy that doesn't depend on everything getting better. " Joyful, Anyway is colorful and layered, unafraid of the occasional gut-punch of raw feeling and vulnerability--much like Kate Bowler herself. She suffers no fools, especially the toxic optimists."--Jerry Seinfeld "A book to take you through life's aftermaths."--Katherine May, New York Times bestselling author of Wintering You can't always be happy, but you can be joyful, anyway. We live in a culture convinced that chasing happiness will optimize our bodies, our minds, our relationships, our lives. But in the meantime, bad news usually stays bad: illness, chronic pain, grief, and disappointment don't obey our timelines or vision boards. We are left wondering why, if we're doing everything right, life still feels so hard. Honest and bracingly tender, Joyful, Anyway proves that experiencing joy does not depend on resolving everything that makes life difficult. Drawing on a decade of living with serious illness and a lifetime studying America's obsession with progress, Kate Bowler shows why people so busy chasing happiness miss out on actual joy. Joy isn't something you can optimize or manufacture--it finds us at the edge of expectation, when life interrupts our scripts. Joyful, Anyway gives language for the ache we all carry and practices for "putting yourself in the way of joy" loosening control, introducing novelty, choosing charity, and staying open to the surprising, technicolor moments that pull us back into life. Joy reminds us that no matter what, life is still worth loving. For every time we ask is this it?, joy will answer: There is more .

New York Times bestselling author and Duke University professor Kate Bowler offers a profound, funny, and deeply human case for joy that doesn't depend on everything getting better. " Joyful, Anyway is colorful and layered, unafraid of the occasional gut-punch of raw feeling and vulnerability--much like Kate Bowler herself. She suffers no fools, especially the toxic optimists."--Jerry Seinfeld "A book to take you through life's aftermaths."--Katherine May, New York Times bestselling author of Wintering You can't always be happy, but you can be joyful, anyway. We live in a culture convinced that chasing happiness will optimize our bodies, our minds, our relationships, our lives. But in the meantime, bad news usually stays bad: illness, chronic pain, grief, and disappointment don't obey our timelines or vision boards. We are left wondering why, if we're doing everything right, life still feels so hard. Honest and bracingly tender, Joyful, Anyway proves that experiencing joy does not depend on resolving everything that makes life difficult. Drawing on a decade of living with serious illness and a lifetime studying America's obsession with progress, Kate Bowler shows why people so busy chasing happiness miss out on actual joy. Joy isn't something you can optimize or manufacture--it finds us at the edge of expectation, when life interrupts our scripts. Joyful, Anyway gives language for the ache we all carry and practices for "putting yourself in the way of joy" loosening control, introducing novelty, choosing charity, and staying open to the surprising, technicolor moments that pull us back into life. Joy reminds us that no matter what, life is still worth loving. For every time we ask is this it?, joy will answer: There is more .