I love a collection of short stories and these actually gave me faith in humanity again. Short, sweet, heartfelt, and perfect for today’s tense political sphere. Would be a great gift.

Heartfelt read of everyday ordinary people sharing their experiences that resonate. A collection well organized into thought provoking sections that allows the reader to wonder along how they would answer if posed the same questions, while reading the various ways that others tell their stories.

What a wonderful collection of uplifting and heartwarming stories. thoroughly enjoyed reading them. Everyone should write, read or somehow take part in creating a book like this.
Thank you to Netgallery, National Geographic and the Authors, Gabriel Reilich; Lucia Knell for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good feel book that uplifts your spirit. Each story is about the good in people. I enjoyed reading each story and would recommend reading this book. I received a free book from NetGalley and the views and opinions are my own.

Who doesn't need a good story about good people. Quick, true, short stories to remind you that good people still exist. These stories are a great distraction from a world that seems awful and depressing most of the time.

Marvelous compilation of true stories of real events by the everyday person. Some sad but many uplifting showing others’ true good spirit. Have to buy this for gifts. Looking forward to another edition of more stories. Can’t wait to recommend this book.

I really enjoyed reading this book by Gabriel Reilich and Lucia Knell. It is accounts of positive things that people are doing. This book grew out of the website upworthy.com. It's uplifting to read about how people around us are still performing acts of kindness each day as sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the negative news cycles and the gloom of day-to-day work and commutes. I would recommend this book to anyone as it would make a great conversation piece or just lift your mood if you are feeling a little down.

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. I found it refreshing. There are a multitude of little stories that talk about little good deeds people do. It would make a good present for the holidays.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and National Geographic in exchange for an honest review.

A joy of a book, like a warm hug.

The stories are short and sweet and perfect for when you need a feel-good boost. I could return to this over and over again.

A great book of shared, learned and blessed experiences between ordinary people with no expectations. Humanity at its best. Refreshing to have read this book and know about the selflessness of others in current times. Thank you for compiling from diverse sources and varied ages and providing in journalistic style.

I love following Upworthy on Instagram for their inspiring, heartfelt stories. Having a collection of them feels like a gift I can pick up whenever I need a boost of serotonin.

It kind of reminds me of a modern, more detailed version of a book I loved reading as a kid - Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul. Both give all the warm and fuzzy feelings and hope for humanity you need to keep going.

In a Nutshell: A compilation of some beautiful anecdotes compiled by the good people from the Upworthy site. Offers a bouquet of positive sentiments. Warms the cockles of the heart. Stokes the embers of hope. Revives the spirit of helpfulness. Restores faith in humanity… [You get the drift!]

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Our species vainly calls itself ‘humankind’. (It equally vainly calls itself ‘homo sapiens’ – ‘wise humans’; Hah! – but let's not go there for now.) Lately, whatever we read in the media (physical or virtual) makes us feel like the “kind” part of “humankind” has been forgotten. This book emphasises that the suffix of that abstract noun hasn't faded away.

I hadn’t heard of Upworthy before seeing this book’s blurb, so looking it up online was a joyous endeavour. It seems similar in spirit to ‘The Better India’ and ‘Wholesome Meets the Internet’, both sites I follow for getting my daily dose of positivity in this hate-filled world. Upworthy now gets added to this elite ‘good news’ group. In a world where a majority of people thrive on spreading hatred (and some spreading ONLY hatred for whatever foolish reasons), such little nooks of happiness on the vast internet can make a huge difference to our mental health.

This book contains 101 stories about “good people”. I found 101 the perfect number for two reasons: (1) In India, cash gifts are often given in amounts of a ‘round figure + 1’, such as ₹501 or ₹1001. One of the many reasons for this is the idea of ‘barkat’ – to wish for an abundance of good fortune and blessings on the recipient. As 0 denotes and end and 1 denotes a beginning, it also indicates the hope for more and better – just like this book does. (2) The book has the same aim as the popular ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series, and every Chicken Soup book also has exactly 101 stories. So this is a good way of paying ode to another series that promotes the best of humanity. (Not sure if this was intentional.)

While the Upworthy site contains plenty of heartening stories, the content in this book is completely original and not taken from their site or sm pages. Thus, even if you are a patron, you get new anecdotes in this collection.

The introductory note explains how this book came into being with the help of their followers. Then we get six chapters, each based on a theme such as the kindness of strangers or travel-related tales.

The anecdotes come in two lengths: either as a proper essay or as a small tidbit akin to the little snippets we used to find in Reader’s Digest sections such as ‘Humour in Uniform’ or ‘Laughter is the Best Medicine’. While I liked this dual structure, I wasn’t too happy with the little highlighted sections in the longer articles, the way magazines take a random line and put it in a separate box. It was distracting, and felt redundant.

Every anecdote shared in this book is, at least, good. A majority are great. Many even caused my eyes to recollect the sorrow of chopping onions. There is much comfort, reassurance, hope, inspiration, and goodness in this book. But the best of all is the life lessons. The book proves that helping others doesn't have to be through grandiose gestures. Even tiny offers of assistance mean a ton. (I've experienced this multiple times in my life; little things go a long way.) There are also many stories where the writer is battling life struggles we have been privileged enough to escape. Their bravery in the face of such adversities makes us acknowledge that our crosses are tiny in comparison. The whole experience is overwhelming, in the best way possible.

There are some cute illustrations in between, but even without these, the book would have been a solid rec.

All in all, definitely a good book that would work even better if you don’t read it at a go. (It feels repetitive after a point.) Just open it at random and get your daily fix of positivity. If you are a believer in prayers or affirmations, whisper a blessing for the do-gooders mentioned in the book as and when you read their story. It’s an easy way of paying it forward when the person is unknown to you.

Recommended to nonfiction readers who like true-life positive stories on the lines of ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’. The coffee table format makes this a wonderful gifting option during the festive season.

4.25 stars.


My thanks to National Geographic for providing the DRC of “Good People: Stories From the Best of Humanity” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

What a wonderful collection of feel good stories. While I’ve followed Upworthy on instagram for years I still enjoyed reading through this collection. A great book to just pick up when you need a little light in your life. Proves that the world is full of good people, you just have to know where fo look.

This is such a heartwarming collection of real-life stories that showcase everyday acts of kindness and compassion. These simple but powerful moments—from a community uniting to find a lost dog to a teacher sharing her lunch with a struggling student—remind readers of the goodness that exists in humanity.

The book emphasizes empathy, connection, and the small but meaningful gestures that restore faith in others, offering a hopeful antidote to negativity. This uplifting collection serves as a gentle reminder to embrace and share kindness.

It will restore your faith in humanity again.

My thanks to NetGalley for the review copy of this book.

Aare you looking to find the good in humanity? Are you looking for the "heroes" Mr. Rogers told us to look for in the every day. This book is full of great stories of everyday heroes that make a difference in the lives of someone. This is a great book full of heartwarming stories. Definitely a book to restore your faith in humanity.

This book of kindness is so important, especially right now.

This book is filled with stories that highlight the best parts of people. It shows how very kind and good people can be, and it shows how much this kindness can positively impact someone's life. The storytellers remember the people who helped them, even years and years later.

This is a book that will hopefully remind people to help each other.

I love following Upworthy on Instagram, so when I saw this book I knew I wanted to read it. Full of short stories of people helping, supporting, and loving others, it reminds you how much good is out there and how sometimes even the smallest act of kindness can change someone's life.

UPWORTHY GOOD PEOPLE by Gabriel Reilich and Lucia Knell hit the spot for me. It's refreshing, unique, inspiring, and heartening. After reading, I took a walk and overheard a woman telling a postal worker about how a stranger found her lost driver's license while she was traveling and returned it. It was a perfect real-life example of the book's message.

The stories in this book showcase the many ways we can support each other and create a more positive world. I'm impressed by the range and depth of examples. This book really reinforces the idea that there's inherent goodness in everyone.

This book is honestly exactly what you would expect it to be: full of happy wholesomeness.

The stories are well-written and come from a diverse selection of individuals. I laughed, I swooned, I cried.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Reading the short stories of this book was the best way to end the day! Although very different from most books I’ve read and loved, I didn’t devour this in one sitting. Due in part to the formatting of this book, I wanted to savor the happy little stories of Good People every night before drifting off to sleep.

This collection truly touched my heart. Some stories were light and funny, others a little deeper, but all ending with a glimpse of the beautiful, kind and compassionate parts of humanity that make it all worthwhile. Highly recommend keeping this book on your nightstand and sharing a copy with anyone that could use a little reminder of the “warm and fuzzy” that exists out in the world.

*Posted on Goodreads