cover image The Book of (Even More) Awesome

The Book of (Even More) Awesome

Neil Pasricha, Putnam/Amy Einhorn, $22.95 (400p) ISBN 978-0-399-15750-9

Pasricha was living in a "dusty suburb" and working an office job as the magic of his marriage sadly faded. So on June 20, 2008, he went online to recall bright moments: "I wanted to try to focus on the positive by writing about one awesome thing every night after I came home from work." His countdown of simple joys eventually resulted in 23 million hits at his award-winning site (1000awesomethings.com) and a bestseller, The Book of Awesome. Scheduled for publication the same week he completes all 1,000, this entertaining follow-up collection offers more reflections on life's little pleasures, such as "Getting the keys to your first apartment" or "Making it halfway." Not surprisingly, many of these short essays are food-related, such as "Eating cookies like Cookie Monster." With "The perfect egg crack" and "Kicking those clumps of frozen slush off the back of your car's mud flaps," Pasricha finds fun in frustrations, going from grit to wit. All 224 optimistic observations are neatly packaged in a great book design by Amanda Dewey. (Apr. 28)