Joy Books
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In my MFA program, our director, poet Scott Cairns, said when we are writing, we are always in conversation with our favorite writers. He even suggested keeping texts of those favorite writers on our desk, to remind us and inspire us as we get stuck in our own work.
When I decided that I wanted to write a book on Joy, (Undaunted Joy: The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight coming 2025 at Zondervan) I started to look for writers to have such conversations. I read books already written on joy and then also books that were similar to what I wanted to do. What were these writers doing? What did I want to emulate? What did I want to do differently?
You might find a book or two to inspire you from this list. They are all joyful and thoughtful texts which I will return to and continue to have “conversations with” for years to come.
One Long River of Song: Notes on Wonder by Brian Doyle
Doyle has informed my writing for several years now. He had the gift of being able to look into a seemingly mundane moment and find glory in it. This collection of essays has been one that I pick up when I am stuck in writing or in life. I keep this book on my desk for days that wrench my soul or ones where I just need a little refocus. Reading Brian Doyle’s work has shown me how to view both moments of humor and pain as marked with God’s grace.
Happiness is a Serious Problem by Dennis Prager
“When you ask people about their most cherished values, “happiness” is always at the top of the list. In this enduring happiness manifesto, Prager examines how happiness not only makes us better people, but has an effect on the lives of everyone around us—providing them with a positive environment in which to thrive and be happy themselves.
Achieving happiness won't be easy, though: to Prager, it requires a continuing process of counting your blessings and giving up any expectations that life is supposed to be wonderful. "Can we decide to be satisfied with what we have?" he asks. "A poor man who can make himself satisfied with his portion will be happier than a wealthy man who does not allow himself to be satisfied." Prager echoes other political commentators in complaining that too many people today see themselves as victims; he submits that the only way to achieve your desires is to take responsibility for your life rather than blaming others.” From Amazon
Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
Lewis equates Joy with God. His pursuit of Joy fades when he finds God is pursing him. His personal voice rings through the prose and it is good to read the dynamics between his father, brother and himself.
As you read Lewis’ account of his coming to faith, you begin to see how God was pursuing you too, in different parts of your life.
Pollyanna Eleanor H. Porter
Wanted to set the record straight on this sweet story of an orphan girl who chooses joy. It is not that she lives oblivious to pain and struggle. But in her pain and struggle, she is determined to live joyfully. It is such a short sweet novel but with much to discuss with friends or if reading it with your child. Highly recommend.
Inciting Joy by Ross Gay
I knew there were other essay collections on Joy out there. I wanted to see what some of them were doing. I loved Gay’s Book of Delights. Gay has a “sustained conversation on Joy” and acknowledges that many did not think this was something you could write about. Gay’s voice is very different than my own and comes from a secular view but it was good to see what he does and how he views the world.
Aggressively Happy by Joy Marie Clarkson
Clarkson shares personal stories and prescriptive lists on how to find goodness in your own life. Her writing is like sharing a cup of tea with a friend. Clarkson shows you how to choose to be happy. She pulls from scripture, literature, art and regular life. I find many parallels between her work and my own. We have a similar lens we view the world through.
Joy also shares recommendations for film, music and art that can be used as touchstones or portals into a happier life.
Joy: 100 Poems edited by Christian Wiman
Read this collection when I was first just daydreaming about Joy. The introduction by Christian Wiman alone is worth the purchase. The poems cover the gambit of the last 100 years. They look at joy from so many different angles, you begin to realize, joy is all around us! Soak it in! I was asked to discuss the collection with Jessica Hooten Wilson on her podcast The Scandal of Reading which you can listen to here.
Dimming the Day: Evening Meditations for Quiet Wonder by Jennifer Grant
I adore this book. In Dimming the Day, Grant invites us to view the world through eyes of wonder. It is as if a kind friend has offered to tuck us in for the night, guiding us into glorious sleep."
“Research suggests that we should refrain from screens at bedtime. But it can be hard to give up social media and news without something to take its place. In these pages, author Jennifer Grant offers gentle meditations that help you direct your gaze away from screens and uncertainties and toward the natural world. Dimming the Day guides you to focus on the wonders of God's good earth, from the ordinary head of a dandelion to the exquisite beauty of a fractal.
Replace anxiety with awe, distraction with focus, and worry with true rest. Calm your mind and settle into stillness. It is time to dim the day.”
The Quotidian Mysteries by Kathleen Norris
I knew I wanted to write on the Joy of Laundry, yes the joy of laundry. This precious little book has stayed with me during the past 20 years. I wanted to use it as a touchstone on how the munitia of housework can even be a source of joy. Norris lifts “Women’s Work” to another realm.
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