Inventing Joy: Dare to Build a Brave and Creative Life

In this light, enjoyable book, Mangano, a home-goods entrepreneur familiar to millions from her appearances on the Home Shopping Network and from being the subject of the biopic Joy, serves up both autobiography and business advice. Beginning with the story of how, as a 10-year-old, she rescued the family dog after he fell through a frozen pool and then devised her own bandages for his wounds, Mangano cheerily shows the benefits of having a can-do attitude. She goes on to recount being a struggling single mother of three when she rediscovered her knack for invention, with the creation of her first product for the Home Shopping Network, the Miracle Mop. Mangano discusses familiar business-book themes such as creative thinking and a willingness to speak up for oneself, but what sets her story apart from other entries in the genre is her wholehearted embrace of the messy but rewarding process of including family and friends—even her ex-husband—in her work. Ending with an eclectic collection of inspirational quotes and an invitation to contact her about inventions, Mangano will leave would-be entrepreneurs feeling encouraged, as well as entertained. Agent: Heather Rizzo, Rizzo Literary Management. (Nov.)