Behind his self-described “gloomy” visage, Garrison Keillor is a cheerful man. And he’s sharing his thoughts on the benefits of a buoyant demeanor in his new book, Cheerfulness.
“Cheerfulness is a choice,” he tells us. “Adopting cheerfulness as a strategy does not mean closing your eyes to evil; it means resisting our drift toward compulsive dread and despond.”
The theme weaves its way through Keillor’s thoughts on friends, family, work, marriage (“Marriage is the true test of cheerfulness — to make a good life with your best informed critic.”). Cheerfulness shows up in small acts of kindness and heroic acts in the face of adversity. “It’s not the be-all and over-all, the ultimate or consummate and uttermost. It’s a useful tactic to get your head on straight
and go where you need to go and not wind up in the swamp.”
Funny, poignant, thought-provoking, whimsical -Cheerfulness is sure to charm longtime Keillor fans and those just getting to know the writing of this much-admired author.
A native of Anoka, Minnesota, a descendent of Scots, Anglos, Welsh, married to a Nilsson, a resident of New York City, Garrison Keillor was a host and writer of A Prairie Home Companion for many years and authored numerous books, including novels, a book of sonnets, a collection of limericks, a memoir, and a political homily. He writes a biweekly online column on Substack and tours the
country doing cheerful shows.
Cheerfulness by Garrison Keillor is available for pre-order now. Shipping will begin on May 13, 2023. Autographed and personalized versions will be a few weeks behind.
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