In a world that is often dark and full of negativity, Upworthy Good People is a collection of stories that will brighten anyone’s day.

This collection tells stories of real people and how other people brightened their day- from gestures big and small. The overall take away from this collection I got was that everyone can make a difference, and humanity is better as a whole when we put others before us.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a little light in their life, especially those who use to read the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

I enjoyed this book. I found it uplifting and adored the infused humor throughout the stories.
It made my heart happy. Today's news is so dreary and not well rounded.

I equate this book along the lines of the "Soup for Your Soul" books which were popular about ten years ago.

I was given an advanced readers copy and am not required to leave a positive review.

I received an ARC from National Geographic through NetGalley, and it is a book I will have on my nightstand because it was so nice to end my day reading a story, a few stories, ok many stories, and in the morning reading a few in the morning, I have less time in the morning, to start my day with positivity. I think my life has improved since reading this book and continuing to read it each day, as a reminder, that there are so many amazing people, total strangers sometimes, that knows just what is needed to be said or done, to make a difference in someone's life.
This book is short stories of special moments that someone has never forgotten or ever will. It is someone doing something kind or nice when someone else needed something to get them through what they were going through, a reminder a kind word, a smile, a word of praise or encouragement, can ignite the spark they used to have but lost along the way.
I know the last few years, I have lost sight of things, as I struggled through working, family, responsibilities, for me sometimes, it is like the world around me is full of chaos, and I can't think clearly. This book helped me get back to what I say is my center, that takes me out of the chaos, so I can think and see things clearly.g.
This book would be a wonderful coffee table book, a book on a nightstand, a gift for someone, a reminder that when someone is losing hope, don't lose hope because someone you might meet, or receive something that you need to help you through.

I used to read a lot of Chicken Soup for the Soul books. This is similar offering numerous short pieces about the encounters people have had with others who either made such a huge difference in their lives that they were propelled to change the direction of their life, or memorable accounts with strangers that made their day or encouraged them to pass it forward.

It's a good book for this period of time in our country where there is so divisiveness. You can't even look at the news these days without encountering something horrible that someone did. Imagine the possibility that a bit of kindness by someone may have changed the trajectory of another's life to the point where they might have not done what they did. .

I read this book in small pieces and spread it out over a few weeks. I actually came away energized and thinking more along the lines of trying to be more observant and see if I could also be more of a blessing in the lives of others.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc! I appreciate the thought behind this book, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Maybe I'll give it another shot later.

I give the book 4.25 stars. I like short stories. I like more hope and positivity in the world. This book gives a heavy dose of the kindness of strangers.

The book is a quick read. The stories are super short. You don't need much time to read a story or two. All the stories are uplifting and give you hope in humanity.

The stories remind me of Readers Digest ( am I aging myself ?) or the Chicken Soup ( for the soul, etc. books). Some of the stories I can relate with. Others are so kind, that they really seem foreign to me.

The book is nice because some of the stories are pretty recent and some are from the 1980s and 1990s. It is interesting to see if technology is factored into the story ( or it is pretechnology days).

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this inspiring book. I look forward to reading more from Upworthy.

Heartwarming Short Stories About Kindness

SUMMARY
The world is still full of good people. UPWORTHY GOOD PEOPLE is the proof. It is 101 feel-good stories about the best of human nature and is published by National Geographic. Upworthy is a large inspirational social media site with millions of followers. The book's stories are curated from the best stories posted online, answering the fundamental questions: What is the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for you?

REVIEW
A book about the lasting contribution of a stranger to someone’s life is a good concept. It’s a lot like the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. This would be a nice book club pick where members could share their favorite stories from the book and even share their own stories. My book club typically picks a book of short stories for our December meeting, and this book would be perfect for generating great conversation. It’s light and easy to read. UPWORTHY GOOD PEOPLE is a book that should be savored by reading it slowly. The stories are divided into six chapters, and I would have loved to see smaller chapters in the book for better stopping points and more of an introduction to the book.

Some of my favorite stories were the stories on travel, like the one about a young woman excited to be moving from her San Juan home to Pennsylvania for her first job after college. A gentleman on her flight helped her understand the Pennsylvania winters. Since it was snowing when she arrived and was not prepared, he bought her first-ever coat, gave her a pair of his socks, and made her change from her cute skirt into jeans. Or the story about the woman who lost her dog while visiting Ibiza, Spain, and the entire community helped search for her dog for 20 hours in a forest next to a busy highway.

I was unfamiliar with the Upworthy heart-warming social posts, but I am now linked in.
Thanks to Netgalley and National Geographic for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher National Geographic
Published September 3, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

I really enjoyed this book. Uplifting and truly heartwarming, this book is a reminder of all the good that is out there among us. It also reminds us its the little things we do that make a difference. We should seek to help; lend a hand, give a kind word, share in grief. So many great stories that will renew your faith in mankind. Quick and easy to read, whether you read one story a day or many at a time.

I don’t describe myself as an optimist but more of a pro-noia believer - the belief that all people and the universe are wishing for really good things for me. This collection of stories supports those beliefs. A bit more rough edged than The Moth stories, they range from bikers helping moms to huggers doling out hugs wherever they’re needed to taxi drivers and mermaid buyers and a whole section on teachers and educators.
Some from long ago, and some from post-COVID world. All will restore or strengthen your faith in all of us and encourage you to do better and be better.

A whole book of what the founders of the Upworthy website have named the best of humanity as well as the best of the submissions to their site. For those who are not familiar with the website Upworthy, you may not have known what to expect as “the best of humanity”, however, as someone who is, I did know what to expect – stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Oddly enough though, as often as I view stuff from the site, I wasn’t aware that a book on Upworthy was being published until I saw it here on GR, while trolling the read list of GR friend, Valleri.

This is a book of stories of some incredible acts of kindness from total strangers, never to be heard of or seen again, that left indelible marks on the lives of the recipients of those acts of kindness. There are also tales of how some beloved person who made a significant contribution to one’s life for a very brief time was never forgotten. It reminds me of something that my grandmother used to say, “people will come in and out of your life for as long as you live. The key is understanding why and which ones to hold onto”. Sometime later, I remember hearing that poem, “people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime”, and was instantly reminded of my Grammy Jules and still am every time I hear it.

Anyway, if you’re a fan of the Upworthy website and its content then you will enjoy this book, which is supposedly the best of Upworthy. Even if you’re not familiar with the site, it’s a great book of heartwarming stories of amazing people. With all non-fiction books I read, I don’t rate the same as fiction, and I simply rate on the material provide and the manner in which it was provided. I’m looking at an overall 4.1 simply because I found the separation of parts kind of choppy and questioned the purpose of it. The material and content were, of course, wonderful. I want to thank NetGalley and National Geographic for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #NationalGeographic #Upworthy

This is a collection of true stories about the impact of kindness. These stories warmed my heart. A whole chapter was about children who felt alone until a teacher showed them kindness and inspired them to follow their dreams. Teachers really are the best of us. A few stories were uneventful and boring but the vast majority were wonderful. Read this to restore faith in humanity, especially with all the hate on the news and in social media.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

The feel-good stories in this compilation from the social media community Upworthy turned out to be quite addictive. Just like eating potato chips, I couldn't stop reading after one or two or three stories. How refreshing to read the true-life experiences of those who received much-needed help or encouragement from other people who were often total strangers. Thanks to NetGalley and National Geographic for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Upworthy Good People completely hit the feel-good-uplifting-book category out of the park! The book is a collection of stories that were submitted to the website “Upworthy”. Upworthy is a website committed to collecting inspirational and positive stories from people all over the world.

I stumbled upon Good People on NetGalley and figured “why not” as I’d been having a crummy week, and feeling like I needed some positivity in my life. I also felt immediately hooked by the synopsis that stated it was a book for anyone that needed proof that the world is full of good people. Lately (by lately I mean the last several years), I’ve needed that proof. I plan to buy this as a “coffee book” table once it publishes because the stories are sweet, short, and uplifting, and I think both the world and my own life can always use a little bit more kindness and positive reminders. ☺️

The book is divided into six sections that are themed around and my favourite was the kindness of strangers section. There’s something about a stranger doing something kind for another stranger with no expectations of anything that tugs on my heart strings and I cried / teared up a few times. I also loved all the favourite / impactful teacher kindness stories and the heartwarming stories of children, their innocence and humour and kind hearts. 💕

Thank you so much to National Geographic, NetGalley, Gabriel Reilich and Lucia Knell for the arc copy to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it!

This one wasn’t quite what I expected. I think the concept is admirable but I didn’t enjoy reading this title as much as I’d hoped to. It’s hard to articulate precisely why—it just felt like reading a magazine rather than a book.

In a world where all we hear is doom and gloom, this book is like a lighthouse beacon showing us something hidden from the world - the goodness of our fellow humans.

I like many of you have probably seen the posts from Upworthy on social media. I follow them on Instagram. The good news, feel-good posts leave me smiling and with hope that the world really does have good people left in it.

In GOOD PEOPLE: Stories From the Best of Humanity, these are the more in-depth stories that we read on social media. There are six chapters that collect common topics for the reader to pour over. For example, in Chapter 1, we learn about the kindness of strangers. These are stories of those drive-by humans who impact our lives when we feel like the world is crumbling around us. There are stories about children in the chapter called The Kids are Alright. I love they way kids can make you see your life in a completely different light. Such is the way a 3-year-old tells a woman that the woman isn't too big to fit in her playhouse but that the playhouse is too small for the woman. Precious!

GOOD PEOPLE: Stories From the Best of Humanity is one of those books that you'll be pulling out when you need a quick pick-me-up or you need something to make you smile. You'll be able to pick it us while waiting for an appointment or while you're eating lunch and it won't leave you hanging because the stories are detailed enough to have you emotionally involved but short enough that you can finish one in no time. Needless to say, I really love this book and highly recommend it.

101 feel-good stories. This book is a wonderful, change of pace read that helps remind us that there truly are good people in the world. It’s similar to the other series of books that has ‘soup’ in the title. Reading a couple at a time or several in one go is a nice way to recharge. The stories made me smile.
Thank You to NetGalley, National Geographic and Gabriel Reilich; Lucia Knell for the opportunity to read, smile and thoroughly enjoy this ARC.

Does anyone tire of hearing stories of good in the world?! Not me! I absolutely love following Upworthy on Instagram and I was thrilled to see a book filled with the amazing generous spirit of humans.

I wanted to savor every story and I know I will find myself revisiting it again.

Bravo to a gorgeous book.

I think everyone needs a little light in their life after the last few years. The world used to care about one another and now things have changed. Reading this book about experiences people have with perfect strangers being kind is something that is bound to bring joy on a dark day. The stories here bring tears to your eyes as you hear the hardship and then read the connections that were shared. I wish even more people in the world did things like this. Thank you to upworthy for capturing all these stories and for compiling them into this beautiful book.

A wonderful collection of short tales of kindness. There are six chapters: The Kindest of Strangers, Learn by Heart (about teachers/education), It's the Little Things, The Kids Are All Right, When I Needed It Most, and Away From Home. In between the stories are shorter quotes as well.
I loved that the stories throughout the book were from all around the world. The book can be read all the way through, or one story at a time, or put on a shelf and brought out when you need a bit of reassurance. Highly recommend this. Would make a great gift as well.

I enjoy reading Upworthy online, and this book is a nice compilation of positive stories and good people.
An enjoyable read, and will be a good book to go back to when one needs to hear about the good in the world, in lieu of all of the negatives our media tends to focus on.
Thank you #NetGalley and #PenguinRandomHouse for providing this ARC. Well done, publishing some good news!