The Joy Document
Creating a Midlife of Surprise and Delight
by Jennifer McGaha
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Pub Date Nov 19 2024 | Archive Date Not set
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Description
"McGaha’s lyrical prose lends depth to life’s seemingly forgettable moments.”
—Publishers Weekly
Once you begin looking for joy, you can find it pretty much anywhere.
When Jennifer McGaha's grandmother was in her late eighties, Jennifer asked her what her favorite age so far had been. "Fifty-five," her grandmother answered, as though there were something magical about this stage of life, some deeper way of knowing from this vantage point. So, in her own fifty-fifth year, Jennifer began to take note. She jotted down her impressions of simple, everyday things that struck her as beautiful or humorous or intriguing and kept a list of all the accomplishments, large and small, that actually mattered to her.
These observations became Jennifer's Joy Document, a radical act of reclaiming joy and an exercise in paying attention. When you are determined to find joy, almost anything can become revelatory--an Earth Day Whole Foods errand, Claire Saffitz's fruitcake recipe, a harrowing ride in Twinkly Taxi, an evening picnic at Dvořák's Symphony No. 8, or cartwheels in the driveway. While many of us at midlife have found all the things we've strived for (the career, the better life, the organization tools), those things only go so far. And the search for something greater, something truer, begins. Through this lens, life after fifty becomes not the end or even the middle of life, but a new beginning, another grand adventure with endless opportunities to find joy. The Joy Document includes fifty rollicking and often humorous essays exploring the art of joy and inspiring the rest of us to do the same.
Advance Praise
"In a culture that fears aging and perpetuates ideals of youthfulness over valuing the elderly, The Joy Document offers wisdom that honors the process of growing older. I admire Jennifer McGaha's insight on embracing life's simple moments with gratitude and joy. Despite facing loss and navigating through challenging times like a global crisis, there's still opportunity to find joy in the here and now."
—Rainie Howard, author of The Love Habit and host of The Rainie Howard Show
"With her beautiful storytelling, Jennifer McGaha inspires us to join her in creating a light-filled life. Through a commitment to curiosity, to mindful noticing, to gratitude, to joyful celebration, she epitomizes what it means to be a radiant rebel!"
—Karen Walrond, author of Radiant Rebellion and The Lightmaker's Manifesto
"Jennifer McGaha is that trail partner who calls you back when you've marched ahead, to show you a lady slipper hidden under a fern. Her joys will open your eyes to your own."
—Heather Newton, author of The Puppeteer's Daughters
Marketing Plan
- National and online publicity campaign to women's media, literary media, spirituality media, and regional media
- Trade and literary advertising
- Social media campaign targeting women 40+ interested in self-help, inspiration, and/or spirituality
- Event outreach to author's Appalachia and NC networks
- Promotional opportunities around New Year New You, Mother's Day, and more
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9798889830726 |
| PRICE | $26.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 198 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Educator 939257
This book is something else! I guess that, without even knowing, I was waiting for a book like this one to come into my life. Being myself in my middle age years, I can very much relate to the emotions and intentions of the author. I needed it as I'm now trying to watch the world through new eyes, grateful that I can do it. I also love the writing style, It's talent and technique combined and result is touching. I'd give 10 stars if I could.
Lola V, Reviewer
I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
I wanted to read more non-fiction and when I saw this one on Netgalley it made me curious and I requested it. I just loved the idea of a book about joy. I am glad I gave this book a try as I had a great time reading it.
The Joy Document is a collection of essays about the authors life and each of these essays is about joy or another deep emotion or feeling. I feel like not all of them are about joy exactly, but they definitely all were impactful moments in the authors life. Some could be a bit sad or reflective, while others were more uplifting or fun and others were more about surprise or things that made the author think.
I felt like I got to know the author through reading it and I liked getting a glimpse into her life and the way she thought and approached things. It feels deeply personal and also very relatable. It's like this book condenses what makes us human, those moments that really shape our lives and I thought it was a beautiful read. Not all essays I enjoyed reading as much as others, but I really enjoyed the book overall and the way this book gave a glimpse into the author's life and those moments that really matter.
Some days I read just one essay or a few and other times I just read a whole bunch of them in a row. Either way works great. It's a book you can easily pick up and read just one essay or sit down with for a longer while and read a bunch of them. This book made me think and feel. It did feel more heavy and impactful than I had expected at first, but I liked that.
To summarize: The Joy Document offers a deep and personal look into the author's life. The book contains a lot of shorter essays that all depict a moment that made an impact on the author, made her feel or think. Not all of them are quite about joy in my opinion, but they all are about deep emotions, reflections and thoughts. I liked getting a glimpse in the author's life and the way she approached things and thought about things. It could feel quite heavy and impactful, but in a good way and I enjoyed the intense vibe. I feel like this is a book about those moments that really matter, the moments that shape us, moments that make us think and feel. I hadn't read a non-fiction book like this before and I am glad I picked it up.
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