Bittersweet was hard to get through. Not because it was bad, but because it comes with moments of deep self-reflection.

Cain explores the idea of bittersweet moments and the people who lean towards melancholy. She interviews an array of people, from the creators of a Pixar movie, to spiritual teachers. The result is a book that makes you think. I’ve found myself sharing what I’ve learned with anyone who will listen.

In college I took a required class called “what it means to be human.” We read literature about different human experiences such as love and family but at the end of the class, the conclusion was that suffering is what makes us human. At the time I did not like this as an answer and thought that it was unfair. After reading this book, I see a similar conclusion but with a more hopeful light. Suffering connects us and how empathetic bonds are created. Instead of being something to feared, Cain describes it as something that can be built upon to make people more caring.

A highly recommended read, especially for those who take solace in sad songs.

This is well researched and well documented look at hereditary guilt, longing, grief and the acceptance of our own inevitable death. And perhaps I’ve gained a bit of insight into why I shed tears so easily and for so little reason!

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing Group for the ARC to read and review.

I am a huge fan of Susan Cain's Quiet. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but to say that book changed my life is an understatement. And so I approached her next offering with a lot of anticipation and I was not disappointed.

Well-researched and eloquent, Cain explores melancholy, and all the factors that contribute to this. She touches on grief, loss, and trauma, as well as offering a glimpse into her own personal experiences. Only Susan Cain can take on a rarely explored topic and present it with such depth and insight. A worthy addition to any library!

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Crown, and Susan Cain for an ARC of this book!!**

"'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, that's life..."-The Verve

Susan Cain is perhaps best known for starting the "Quiet Revolution", a movement spurned by her first book, where the hidden power of the introvert was brought to light and readers all over the world (myself included) rejoiced. What if the extrovert "ideal" and energy we are all supposed to aspire to encompass should instead be tamped down...and the power of the introspective, quiet, ponderer be brought center stage?

In Bittersweet, Cain poses a different question: have you ever loved listening to a sad song that pulled at your heart, gave you goosebumps, maybe even made you tear up and wondered "why?" How on earth can I feel broken...and yet whole at the same time? Susan Cain explores this phenomenon in Bittersweet, and while some of her conclusions may not feel entirely new, this book reads as part memoir, part self=help, and part thesis on how the most heartbreaking times and even the most tragic circumstances we face in life can lead us to greatness.

What sets this basic theory (you can't have light without dark) apart from so many other explorations of the same topic is Cain's refusal to go entirely down a religious path (of course, spirituality plays a part in the journey of many, and she does reflect on the application of these ideas in different religions throughout). Instead, she takes a deep dive into the history of longing, how we process trauma, and how suffering is not only a necessary part of life, but an opportunity for the deepest kinship we can process as humans. She also decries the notion than an appreciation for the dark and mysterious is tied to depression or depressive behavior, which is a welcome stance in a world that can't seem to separate the two.

In a revealing and heart-wrenching chapter, Cain even reveals some very personal trauma in her own life and lets the reader inside her relationship with her mother, as well as a discussion of some personal loss she has suffered in the last two years, in light of the pandemic. There is so much to unpack here, and this book is the perfect blend of self-help, philosophical thought, and a reflection of who we are as a human race--and all we can become. Cain also has a fantastic book club kit to supplement this read, complete with a Bittersweet playlist (HIGHLY recommended) just to help enhance your experience and flex those bittersweet muscles.

If Quiet was a love song to the quiet strength of the introvert, consider Bittersweet an ode to the power of melancholy to elicit joy, healing, and the endless pursuit of beauty---ever present, ever inspiring, but always JUST out of our reach.

4 stars

This was such a beautiful book. This book touches on so many great topics: loss, trauma, grief and much more. It talks about emotions that normally we wouldn't want to talk about. It's a powerful and thought provoking read. Really a bittersweet story!

I was a big fan of Susan's "Quiet" and was honored to be able to read this prior to its release. Bittersweet touches upon emotions we often hide or don't discuss but that truly allow us to know & love ourselves and others. This is a must-read, and not just for introverts.

My thanks to both Net Galley and the publisher Crown Publishing for an advanced copy of new book on being who we are.

Why are we only happy when it rains? Why does only a select group of people acknowledge the musical genius of Tom Waits, and when we meet we seem to have so much in common from world outlook to art to liking good-ole sad songs? Susan Cain, author of the book Quiet which gave introverts like myself an understanding of what we are tries to answer this question in her new book Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole. That maybe the sadness we see when we watch a leaf fall, or even a touching advertisement on TV makes us more in touch with the world, and not just a sensitive emo who likes to wear black.

Being bittersweet is not mopey, as some would say, or a mood that a person should grow out of, not a weakness that some would use to label. The usual American look to the sunny side, or the religious, God doesn't give you more than you can handle sound much more unhealthy and unrealistic. Bad things happen. To everyone. To quote the Flaming Lips "Everyone you know someday will die." No amount of high hopes or positive aphorisms will change this. However in being bittersweet or whatever you prefer to call it, makes a person more aware, and how things can and will change, for the worse sure, but the better seems much more enjoyable. Instead of learning to turn your frown upside down, live with the frown, but don't let it beat you.

Ms. Cain uses an mix of science and personal stories, from her life and from the life of friends both famous and not. The chapter begins with a bittersweet quiz, which after tabulating my scores, left me both happy and sad. The personal stories all fit the chapter and gives proof to that story you have no idea what kind of day the other person is having. The science is a mix of studies on the brain, nervous system and psychology. A reader who finds this interesting is in for a lot of TED talks. Leonard Cohen takes the stage and the power of music, with thoughts on religion, love death and other things that life has to offer.

Ms. Cain has written another book that makes people feel seen. That others watch ads and sniffle, puppies playing with babies in the park and have to look away. That listen to the sad songs of bands more than the loud fist pumping works. As a reader you know if this book if for you, but I do think that this is something that everyone bittersweet, sweet, even just candy sweet will get something out of.

A big thank you to @netgalley and Crown Publishing for my advanced copy of Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole (out April 5th). This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Truly, my most anticipated read since I turned the last page of her first book, Quiet. It did not disappoint. Another poignant, well-researched read from Susan Cain.

Bittersweet is about "the melancholic direction," which Susan Cain names the 'bittersweet'..."a tendency to states of longing, poignancy, and sorrow; an acute awareness of passing time; and a curiously piercing joy at the beauty of the world." Even if you don't identify as a 'bittersweet type' after taking her short Bittersweet Quiz (which, for the record, I do!), you are still likely to gain a new appreciation and understanding for why you play that really sad song over and over (you know the one!) or why being in nature can often times feel like a spiritual experience. At the very least, you may start to understand why some of us lean into the bittersweet in our own lives.

Susan Cain's first book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking changed my life. It made me feel seen in a way I hadn't before and, honestly, changed my relationship with my husband and in-laws (a family of extroverts). Bittersweet saw me. It was the book I didn't know I needed after the past two years of ups and downs, tragedy, and finding the magic in the small moments. This book saw a part of me I didn't know had a name, let alone, existed.

Pub date 04/05/22

#Bittersweet #SusanCain #NetGalley #bookstagram

This was such a beautiful book, and I’m extremely grateful that Susan and her team sent me an early copy of this book. Susan Cain is well-known for her first book Quiet, which I was extremely late to the party on, and this book is totally different. When I first heard about Susan’s upcoming book, I was worried it’d be too similar to Paul Bloom’s latest book The Sweet Spot, but it was totally unique. As Susan explains early in this book, she’s been working on this book for years, but it’s taken a long time to write, and it was well worth it. In the book, she addresses the various forms of suffering we all deal with throughout our lives, and how we can shift our perspective on it. Through a ton of touching stories from various interviews as well as a lot of research, we learn how our suffering doesn’t have to break us.

Susan dives into a ton of great topics such as grief, loss, trauma, and much more. Through the different interviews, you see how the different people found that they could be empowered by their experiences, and it helps the reader see that they aren’t alone. I also loved how she spent time with Sharon Salzberg, who is an incredible meditation teacher and author that has helped me out a ton with her work. One of the other parts of the book that I really loved was when Cain dives into the idea of the “wounded healer”, which I’ve experienced as a recovering drug addict who has worked in treatment and spends a lot of time trying to help others based on my personal experience.

Throughout the book, I was comparing it to Cain’s previous book and wondering if it was as good. Finally, I realized that it’s an unfair comparison because they’re so different. It’s often difficult for an author to write something completely different from a previous smash-hit book, but Susan Cain did it, and I think Bittersweet is going to help a lot of people.

Quiet y Susan Cain is a brilliant read one I still recommend.Bittersweet is another absorbing thoughtful well written and researched book.A look at people who have a Bittersweet look at life the author includes a questionnaire to see if this your viewpoint.I was totally absorbed by this thesis and will be recommending this book perfect for bookclub discussions.Thanks to Shelfawareness #netgalley

I was lucky enough to win print and electronic copes of BITTERSWEET by Susan Cain through a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thanks for the early look, and have a safe and happy weekend!

I thought Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole was a fabulous read. I give it five plus stars.

I loved Cain's previous book QUIET and this one is not quite at the level of the earlier text but nonetheless interesting and inventive. I always appreciate her clear and eloquent writing and fascinating perspective.

This was quite an extraordinary read. It's quite beautiful, good, deep and powerful. Susan Cain is quite adept at finding untapped topics and exploring them with grace.