Summer Stories and Three Hopeful Things

And are you sure it is still 2023?

Hello friends,

So much has happened this month—can you confirm that it still 2023? I got to experience the wonder that is summer in Minnesota—zinnias and bike rides and the sound of loons wailing down by the beach. And then I had some dreamy podcast conversations including The Gathering Pod with the transcendent Dr. Martha Beck, and Unruffled with child development virtuoso Janet Lansbury. There have been some hard moments, too (are you or are you not surprised?) My daughter Eden had another stint in the hospital, and I could write another book about that, except I think I’ve written enough about caregiving, at least for now, in my memoir The Unlikely Village of Eden. I’ve continued to feel so lifted up by your support of the book and by your interest in various book-related events! Thank you.

The Unlikely Village of Eden events coming up (and I will be adding more soon):

My interview with Jen Hatmaker on her luminous podcast For the Love will air soon, and I will let you know on my IG account @emmanadlerwrites when it drops! Jen is bold and brave and funny—so funny that she can crack me up (and millions of other readers) even through the pages of her cookbook. Who knew that homemade mozzarella sticks could be hilarious?

On Wednesday, September 6^th at 10am Central Time I will be in conversation with Microjoys author Cyndie Spiegel on my IG live @emmanadlerwrites. Join us for a spirited conversation on finding joy amongst grief.

For those who have not yet checked out Big Hill Books, the newest, darling bookstore in Minneapolis—or for those who want to spend more time there—join me and Jennifer Cramer-Miller, author of the forthcoming Incurable Optimist for a conversation on Sunday October 1^st at 3pm. We are going to talk about the themes of our books, including making a good life when life doesn’t go to plan. And despite uncertainty, how can we harness hope and access joy? Read them both ahead of time or pick up copies at this free event.  

Here are three hopeful things for you this month:

The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing

(Simon & Schuster)

Are you looking for a book to make you feel like anything is possible in life, even during the most difficult of times? The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin is witty, raw, surprising, and deeply relatable, even if you have zero felonies on your record. It is about recovery, making mistakes, and finding acceptance, love, and purpose. It made the hours in the hospital with my daughter Eden more bearable—even when I wasn’t reading (which was most of the time). The author is dear to me—she is my literary agent, and a person who took a chance on The Unlikely Village of Eden because she understood the bigger themes right away. Lara is a brilliant writer, human, and a creative powerhouse, and I can’t wait for you to get your hands on her memoir. Check it out here: The Many Lives of Mama Love

Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends by Marissa Franco (Penguin Random House).

This is a great book about friendship. It is thought-provoking, amazingly relevant, and such an engaging read! Peppered with tangible ideas, I love how Dr. Franco shares her own journey through friendships—it makes the research come to life and is instantly relatable. Check it out here: Platonic

On Being with Krista Tippett: Ocean Vuong—A Life Worthy of Our Breath

There is something timeless about this poignant interview that was recorded right before the pandemic. In this interview Vuong and Tippett discuss what it means to hold both poetry and heartbreak. To close, Vuong reads part of his essay, The Weight of Our Living, “…despite being so human and so terrified, here, standing on this unfinished staircase to nowhere and everywhere, surrounded by the cold and starless night—we can live. And we will.” Check it out here: On Being with Ocean Vuong

I hope the rest of your August is filled with bursts of love, rest, and inspired ideas.

We’ve got this,

Emma