Little Pieces of Hope: Happy-Making Things in a Difficult World

by Todd Doughty, Josie Portillo (Illustrator)

Overview

One of The Washington Post’s Best Feel-Good Books the Year• A jolt of joy in a difficult world! Perfect for any age, this charming collection is a daily devotional of delight, designed to provide a thought-provoking break in a busy day, inspiring readers to look for and celebrate the good things that surround us.
 
“This brilliant book will remind you of all the people, places and things you love, forgot you loved, need to love. It’s a book you’ll want to buy for your best friends so you can read passages aloud to them. It’s a poetic, sparkling gem you’ll want to pick up every time you need a smile.” —Kevin Kwan, #1 New York Times bestselling author the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy
 
Need a pick me up to brighten your afternoon? Skip that second cup of coffee and discover dozens of happy-making lists alongside short essays, musings, prompts, quotes, and playlists. Flip to the joys of red velvet cake or road trips—or dip into “Things You Might Consider Doing Today” (Call a friend and don’t use the pronoun “I” during the entire conversation) or “Things to Look Forward To” (Reaching the other side of something challenging - which you will!) or “That Song … You Know the One.”
 
LITTLE PIECES OF HOPE can be read straight through, or you can savor a single page at a time. The beautifully designed book contains over 3,000 items on topics such as music, books, paintings, photographs, memories, holidays, recipes, feelings, movies, and so much more.
 
Brimming with the pleasures of life—and full of gorgeous illustrations—LITTLE PIECES OF HOPE makes a beautiful gift or keepsake.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780143136569
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/12/2021
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	334,161
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Todd Doughty is currently SVP, deputy publisher of Doubleday and has worked at Penguin Random House for more than two decades. A graduate of Southern Illinois University (Carbondale) and former bookseller, he lives with his partner in Westchester County, New York.

Editorial Reviews

"Todd Doughty is always the center of the Fun. He gives us nothing less than a party on paper!"
—Chuck Palahniuk, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fight Club

“I was in a rotten mood when I first picked up Todd Doughty’s “Little Pieces of Hope,” but halfway down the first page I found myself grinning. This brilliant book will remind you of all the people, places and things you love, forgot you loved, need to love.  It’s a book you’ll want to buy for your best friends so you can read passages aloud to them.  It’s a poetic, sparkling gem you’ll want to pick up every time you need a smile.  It’s the ultimate compendium of joy.”
—Kevin Kwan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sex and Vanity

"Need a little bit of cheering up? So do we all! Here comes LITTLE PIECES OF HOPE, begun by Todd Doughty as a way of keeping his chin above the gloom water in Covid. Read on, then start your own list!" —Margaret Atwood, bestselling author of The Handmaid's Tale, via Twitter

"Todd Doughty is one of the happiest people on the planet. He finds things big and small that make us smile, and in this wonderful book he shares them with a world he cherishes." —John Grisham, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“The book is all about boiling life down to what really matters, and its simplicity is part of its bountiful charm. It’s remarkable, really, that Doughty could up with this many happy-making things.” —Associated Press

"A dazzling spiritual grab n' go of big ideas, positive thoughts, and helpful suggestions that will lift and delight readers everywhere. Through the lens of debut author Todd Doughty, the weary world goes technicolor. Feast on high octane mixtapes, curated book titles, travel for the curious, and the best in film, theater, and sports.  A small-town boy turned big city seeker, Doughty's personal stories sprinkled throughout pack a wallop as they celebrate family ties, friendship, love, and grief. Josie Portillo's illustrations are glorious. I loved it."
—Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of Don't Sing at The Table and The Shoemaker's Wife
 
"Todd Doughty gives us permission to have pleasure. Little Pieces of Hope is part meditation/part celebration, a running thank-you note, a time machine that swings us from the Day-Glo 80s to a soft focus future, a to-do list that guarantees you’ll never be bored, a mixed-tape from a person you want to be your very best friend, a rabbit hole to Wonderland and we are all Alice. Part recovery/part discovery, this book is a gift for friends, family, and most especially yourself."
—Helen Ellis, author of Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light

“Throughout 2020, Todd Doughty was my Comforter-in-Chief on Instagram. Day after day, he offered his followers poignant, cultural touchstones and Proustian madeleines that ranged from great movies to great books to the small, daily moments when we touch the numinous. He reminded us of the remarkable, exquisite beauty that exists in even the toughest of times, and gave us all reasons to—and here is the greatest gift of all—hope. This book will make you nod with recognition and smile with uncontrollable joy. Bonus? You will also find dozens of new songs and photos and books and musicals and TV series to savor.  Everything about Little Pieces of Hope is a gem. You will cherish it when the world is smiling upon you and reach for it when the world is closing in."
—Chris Bohjalian, #1 bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and Hour of the Witch

"Todd Doughty has given us the gift of his delight, which is one of the most precious gifts we can collectively receive right now. This lovely collection gives weight to the ordinary and gives levity to heaviness - a cozy antidote to the accumulation of worry. Next time you're tempted to doom scroll, pick up this treasure trove instead: spend time with it and feel your spirit restored and your outlook illuminated. Go out in the world with more ease, and begin to cherish life's joys. —Mari Andrew, New York Times bestselling author

"Little Pieces of Hope is a gift for people who find the joy in the little things — or want to start." —Today.com

From the Publisher

2021-08-18
Inspirational snippets inspired by the need for unity and optimism in troubled times.

On March 11, 2020, the day the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, Doubleday deputy publisher Doughty was on a train home from work when he began crafting a series of lists on Instagram to engage and inspire others to “remember and explore the things that bring you happiness.” Accessorizing these unique and fun assortments are essays on practical ways to feel more connected, appreciations of the blissful interconnectedness of small-town life, and ideas about how to cultivate “a little piece of hope” every day. The lists include often quirky nods to a variety of quotidian things, including cake, “a small piece of chocolate that leaves you wanting more,” specific scenes in movies and books, the intricate foam design in a latte, and the unique serenity of late-night quiet. In other sections, Doughty offers more substantial appreciations of teachers, seasons, holidays, the exhilarating art of personal or professional risk-taking, and music “mixtape” playlists focusing on a specific mood, genre, or period preference. Creatively rich with typeface variations and Portillo’s casual, bright artwork, Doughty’s wise words of wisdom aim to lessen the negative effects of the pandemic. This is a breezy, versatile book to be enjoyed during a peaceful moment of reflection or read aloud at gatherings with friends and family. Laden with optimism and inspiration, Doughty’s lists are rhythmic, interconnected, fun, and effervescently positive. Readers plodding through the arduous, isolating, seemingly endless days of pandemic regulations will particularly appreciate the author’s humor and fanciful sense of nostalgia and stress-busting playfulness. Best enjoyed a few segments at a time, the text encourages readers to pause, breathe, and appreciate the simple things, both past and present, which often become overshadowed by schedules, work and family demands, and myriad interpersonal challenges.

A needed message of hope, joy, and love, imparted through the simplicity of lists.

Kirkus Reviews