Ross gay the book of delights

Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights, published February 12, 2019, is a collection of short, lyrical, autobiographical essays written over the course of one year.

The Book of Delights is about our shared bonds, and the rewards that come from a life closely observed. In a climate of serious thoughts about serious subjects, Ross Gay truly does delight, bringing more poetry than usual to an essay collection that challenges the conventions of the form. Some of Gay’s essays are a mere paragraph, others are longer, but they are all about aspects of life worth celebrating. A worthwhile break from the monotony of worldly worries, The Book of Delights reminds its readers to treat themselves to a bit of beauty.

Fans of Roxane Gay, Maggie Nelson, and Kiese Laymon will revel in Gay’s voice, and his insights. . . Gay finds delight in flowers, gardens, old and new friends, music, books, coffee, bugs, and more. While traveling, especially, he finds evidence of how good and loving people are while watching strangers complete ordinary tasks. The Book of Delights is a unique study of the delights found in everyday life and the implications of living a life dedicated to joy and gratitude.

A New York Times Bestseller

Named one of the Best Books of 2019 by the Washington Independent Review of Books and Shelf Awareness 

Named a best reviewed book of 2019 by Lit Hub. 

Named one of five books every high schooler should read by the School Library Journal

Named one of “8 Books We Can’t Stop Thinking About,” Vanity Fair

Algonquin
Paperback ($17.95) / Number of pages 288 / Publication date August 16, 2022 / ISBN 9781643753287
Hardback ($24.95) / Number of pages 288 / Publication date February 12, 2019 / ISBN 9781616207922

Purchase: Algonquin / IndieBound / Bookshop / Powell's

From the Publisher: The New York Times bestselling book of essays celebrating ordinary delights in the world around us by one of America's most original and observant writers, award-winning poet Ross Gay.

The winner of the NBCC Award for Poetry offers up a spirited collection of short lyrical essays, written daily over a tumultuous year, reminding us of the purpose and pleasure of praising, extolling, and celebrating ordinary wonders. Though politically themed essays don’t dominate, he chooses his targets with care, and hits them when he does.

A piece about his love for “weird vernacular sayings that roll off the tongue” that focuses on “I need x like I need a hole in the head” is illustrative.

When I need hope, I turn to his words. This is an entire book of such glimmers, in which Ross Gay notices tiny moments in life and nature, so that we too may delight in them."  — Book Riot

"His delights might inspire a To Do List for the Aftertimes, which is a form of hope." — "These 3 books are like a big, deep hug from a friend to help you through tough times,"  San Diego Tribune

"The first thing you should know is that the title is not a misnomer.

you read him with a smile that makes your face tired because it stays for hours . He feels his losses but imbues them with gratitude; people here and gone remain his delights." — BookPage

"The Book of Delights restores pleasure as a site of serious thought and, even more, as a mode in inquiry in itself, while Gay’s wholesome (but never saccharine) voice convinces us that a mode of inquiry, a way of thinking, too, can be a pleasure itself." — Ploughshares

"An altogether charming and, yes, delightful book." — Kirkus Review

"(Gay) is a remarkable expositor of the positive, and his writings serve as reminders 'of something deeply good in us.'" — Publisher's Weekly

"This stunning self-portrait of a gardener, a teacher, and a keen observer of life is sure to inspire." — Annie Bostrom, BookList

"Documenting his travels and encounters over the course of his year with a wry, deft touch, his book stays true to its title and demonstrates his estimable talents as a prose stylist as well as poet." —Foreword Reviews, starred review

“Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights reminds us of the wisdom of old songs: What a difference a day makes.

. Savor one at a time every morning, this summer, or wolf them all down en masse on a gorgeous sunny day.” —Celeste Ng for GoodMorningAmerica.com

“You’ll find that the delights of Gay’s world illuminate the delights of yours, that his wonder is contagious and has caused you to deepen your own.” —GQ

“From cover to cover, the beautifully written essays highlight the little miracles that happen all around us.

There is no other book on the planet I’d rather read right now, no other writing that can make me believe in the future—and us—again." —Lidia Yuknavitch, author of The Misfit’s Manifesto

“Ross Gay is a writer perfectly suited to find delight. And whether he’s writing about basketball, bakeries or bobbleheads, Gay is relentlessly enthusiastic about even the most mundane subject that catches his eye.

But for all its emphasis on life’s pleasures, THE BOOK OF DELIGHTS isn’t simply a lighthearted romp through Gay’s enjoyably observant life.