In the tradition of Dr. Seuss’s Oh, The Places You’ll Go! and Anna Quindlen’s A Short Guide to a Happy Life comes this gathering of wisdom ideal for any person, young or old(er), facing a transition. What advice do you wish you had heard—really heard—when you were graduating from high school or college? What words could you benefit from hearing again? When Patti Digh asked her readers this question as her own daughter was starting college, the resulting flood of pithy, heartfelt wisdom sparked the idea for this book. What flowed in was beautiful, thoughtful, poignant, and funny. Out of the hundreds of essays, six themes emerged:
* Remember who you are
* Know what matters most
* Make peace with time
* Let go of certainty
* Learn every single day
* Open up your hand
What I Wish for You features meaningful stories from Patti as well as illustrations and essays submitted by readers of her blog from around the world, resulting in a vibrant, intriguing, and life-affirming book ideal for the young graduate and beyond.
“If the Buddha had two kids, a dog named Blue, a Southern accent, and a huge crush on Johnny Depp, his name would be Patti Digh," wrote one reviewer after Digh's grassroots bestseller, Life Is a Verb, was published. Patti is a Southern-born master storyteller whose stories are full of humor, poignancy, surprise, pain, and knowing. She is the author of three previous Skirt! books: the best-selling Life Is a Verb, a Books for a Better Life finalist; Creative Is a Verb; and Four-Word Self-Help. Visit her at pattidigh.com.
Book TrailerYou Are Not Broken, and You Don’t Need to Be Fixed
In 2003, Patti Digh's stepfather was diagnosed with lung cancer and died just 37 days later. She woke up on day 38 and asked her a question that she has asked every morning since: "What would I be doing today if I only had 37 days to live?"
Her award-winning blog, 37days.com, emerged from the lessons she learned by asking that question. And her most recent book, LIFE IS A VERB: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally, emerged from that writing when Globe Pequot Press approached her about shaping essays from 37days into a book.
The project took on the feel of a "literary and artistic barn raising" when readers from around the world contributed original works of art to illustrate the 37 essays chosen for the book--and when readers from over 40 cities in the U.S. arranged for Patti to visit their communities for readings from the book.
LIFE IS A VERB was one of five finalists for the prestigious "Books for a Better Life" award and nominated for the "Book of the Year" award by the Southern Independent Booksellers Association.
Patti is a writer, keynote speaker, and social justice activist. And as important as those jobs are to her, the most important job she has is being a mom to two daughters, Emma and Tess. She and her husband, book seller and writer John Ptak, live with their family in the beautiful mountain town of Asheville, NC. In addition to being 7th grade ping pong champ way back when, Patti is a fan of novelist Richard Powers, poet Billy Collins, and a little known movie star named Johnny Depp.
Her new book, CREATIVE IS A VERB, is due out from Globe Pequot Press in Summer 2010 and will also be illustrated by readers.
This review is from: What I Wish For You: Simple Wisdom for a Happy Life (Hardcover)
Patti Digh has done it again...captured the simple into a collection of the spectacular. This skillfully woven tapestry of essays, quotes, ideas, and art from around the globe is a remarkable example of what can happen when one pays attention to the small but critical details of life. I don't ever start on page one with a work by this author because each page has it's own offering, concise and complete just as it is. If the reader happens to be starting and finishing in order, it is equally effective in spreading the message of the everyday gift that our lives can be. This is a book that will become well-worn, a favorite, and an opportunity for reflection as much as forward motion. Skirt! publication has found a treasure in Patti Digh.
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This review is from: What I Wish For You: Simple Wisdom for a Happy Life (Hardcover)
Patti Digh's daughter Emma is so lucky to receive the collective wisdom of so many people whom her mother sought out as Emma set out to embark upon her adult life. The contributors were wildly diverse and had much to say in their own unique ways. They truly speak to anyone embarking upon a great journey in this life. Bon voyage to all. This joyous book is such a great read.
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This review is from: What I Wish For You: Simple Wisdom for a Happy Life (Hardcover)
Although I found this book at a local retailer on the table titled "For Graduates", this book is for ANYONE at ANY STAGE of their life! It can be read over and over and each time, something new can be found. A WONDERFUL PURCHASE!!!
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