We all feel joy, but do we know why, exactly, certain things bring joy? Ingrid Fetell Lee makes this intangible feeling tangible in Joyful. Joy is everywhere, and in many things we take for granted. It’s in physical view and arrangement, shape and color, places and experiences. Identifying these is fascinating enough, but then Lee presents the science (often rooted in primal, evolutionary preferences), to round out and deepen what on the surface can seem like a pseudo-psychological, lightweight topic. Ingrid Fetell Lee takes a close look at how the simple pleasures in life (such as bringing joy to a room) ultimately transform lives. We rediscover their joy again and again, and we fall a bit more in love each time.But, that begs the question, what makes a room joyful? It’s my favorite “self help” book simply because it was a delight to read and left me happy & hopeful. Henry Van Dyke wrote this poem in 1907 while visitingthe home of Williams College president Harry Augustus Garfield. He was serving as a guest preacher at Williams at the time. He told his host that the local Berkshire Mountains had been his inspiration for writing "Joyful, Joyful, We Ador Thee". The image for this article is a sunrise photo of the Berkshire Mountains!

Seasonality brings the promise of joy, while a simple one-way time flow makes the future always uncertain I was most doubtful about the aesthetic of “magic” and was prepared to skip over the power or magic of stones and gems; however, I was surprised by how she pivoted to a discussion of “enchantment” and “charm” as other concepts for magic. Starburst lights at the Metropolitan Opera illuminate the Sparkle and Flare element of F-L’s Celebration aesthetic

Today's Devotional

Yarn bombing in action – an element of the Surprise aesthetic – image from wiki – Bet this photo made you smile This book gave me SO much to think about - so many little things that I always would notice but never understood their impact. Now I do. Another aspect I liked about this book was the writing, which flowed seamlessly and, perhaps most importantly, was accessible. For me, the way a non-fiction book is written has a huge impact on whether that particular book will be a “hit” or a “miss” for me (even if he subject matter is one that I’m interested in). What I appreciated about Joyful is that it didn’t feel overly scientific when I was reading it, even though some parts of it did cite statistics and results of scientific research. While the book did take me longer to read than usual, tit wasn’t because the concepts were hard to understand or anything — rather, I tend to take longer to read non-fiction books overall because of my own obsession with absorbing every single detail so as to make it worth my while, which of course requires additional focus and concentration on my part. I think two excellent companion reads to Joyful might be The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living and The Happiness Project.

Overall, I appreciated Fetell Lee’s theories, and I found the book user-friendly and invitingly-written. The best thing she offers- most aspects of joy can be found in the simple and easy. It’s not far out of reach, and we can obtain it. That message is simple but always empowering. I think this book would be remarkable for anyone to read, but especially employers, as they could set up workplaces for success via joyful employees. A hugely entertaining, fully colour-illustrated collection celebrating joy, perfect for children age 8 to 12 (and beyond!). Curated by Laugh Out Loud Awards winner Dapo Adeola, with a foreword by the acclaimed Patrice Lawrence. Joyful, Joyful is a book to sing about! Even aprons designed for professional use can make restaurant workers feel a bit better - Image from Hedley and BennettPreferred human landscape – both to live in and see in paintings on our walls – there appears to be one in particular that is favored almost universally Otoh, I do think she's mostly right. I mean, yes, of course most people are healthier, in body & mind & spirit, if they spend time out-of-doors. For example. The quotes that Ingrid compiles alone from philosophers and artists on joy are enough of a reason to recommend this book. I knew little to nothing about interior design or some of the more troubling aspects of minimalism. But I do like to move through spaces that feel warm and lived in. A few days ago, my son and his friend were sneaking bright balloons out of a restaurant display. The other boy’s mum expressed surprise that they still got so excited by balloons at the age of eleven…so I told her about this book. It may not be the easiest book to read, but it really is worth talking about.

Today I’m reviewing a book that’s been on my (virtual) bookshelf for some time. I’m linking up with Deb @ Deb’s World and Sue, Donna, and Jo for the October installment of #WhatsOnYourBookShelfChallenge . Ingrid holds a Master’s in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute and a Bachelor’s in English and Creative Writing from Princeton University. Her first book, Joyful, will be published in North America by Little, Brown in September, 2018. She loves pancakes, polka dots, and rainbow sprinkles, and has an extensive repertoire of happy dances for any occasion.One may wonder, does the aesthetic IFL espouses reflect anything more than her own personal preferences? There is certainly a danger that confirmation bias might play a role here. By offering thoughtful discussion, and the assistance of professional practitioners, she made me feel pretty comfortable with there being a minimum of such sample soiling here. Dorothy Draper (no relation to Don) is noted in Joyful for her attention to texture, vibrancy, and richness of interior environment, particularly in the resort hotel The Greenbrier in West Virginia