The Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary, Catherine Gray
The Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary, Catherine Gray
14 Rating(s)
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
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Synopsis

**From the Sunday Times Bestselling Author**

We're told that happiness is in the extraordinary. It's on a Caribbean sun lounger, in the driving seat of a luxury car, inside an expensive golden locket, watching sunrise from Machu Picchu. We strive, reach, push, shoot for more. 'Enough' is a moving target we never quite reach.

When we do brush our fingertips against the extraordinary a deeply inconvenient psychological phenomenon called the 'hedonic treadmill' means that, after a surge of joy, our happiness level returns to the baseline it was at before the 'extra' event.

So, what's the answer? The Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary theorises that the solution is rediscovering the joy in the ordinary that we so often now forget to feel. Because we now expect the pleasure of a croissant, a hot shower, a yoga class, someone delivering our shopping to our door, we no longer feel its buzz. The joy of it whips through us like a bullet train, without pause.

Catherine Gray was a grandmaster in the art of eye-rolling the ordinary, and skilled in everlasting reaching. Until the black dog of depression forced her to re-think everything.

Along the way, she discovered some surprising realities about the extraordinaries among us: that influencers risk higher rates of anxiety and depression, high-rollers are less happy, and huge frothy weddings increase the likelihood of divorce.

Learning how to be exalted by the everyday is the most important lesson we can possibly learn. In Catherine Gray's hilarious, insightful, soulful (and very ordinary) next book, you may learn to do just that.

PRAISE FOR CATHERINE GRAY'S WRITING:

"Fascinating" Bryony Gordon.

"Not remotely preachy" The Times

"Jaunty, shrewd and convincing" The Telegraph

"Admirably honest, light, bubbly and remarkably rarely annoying" The Guardian

(p) 2019 Octopus Publishing Group

About Catherine Gray

Catherine Gray is author of five books, including The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober. She's sold over half a million books in English-speaking territories, her work has been published in the likes of Stylist, Marie Claire, The Lancet Psychiatry and the Guardian, and her books have been translated into nine languages. In 2018, Catherine founded charitable campaign Sober Spring, a three-month sabbatical from alcohol, and she now runs it with Alcohol Change UK, for whom she is an ambassador. She's been sober since 2013. Catherine lives in Hove and when not writing she enjoys falling off a paddleboard, giving her plants names like 'Cassandra' and 'Miguel', and spamming Instagram with pictures of dogs.Instagram.com/unexpectedjoyofTwitter.com/cathgraywrites


Reviews

Goodreads review by Stacie

I’m working hard on improving my mental health this year after coming to a point in my life where I can no longer sustain this level of stress, anxiety, anger and ill health. I’ve started with The Chimp Paradox but wanted a lighter read to read alongside. This was a total chance purchase after a tri......more

Goodreads review by Nika

Вагаюся між 3 і 4. Нічого такого надзвичайного, десь є щось занадто просте або й obvious🤷🏼, але якщо розглядати книгу, як нагадування про такі речі - то піде👌......more

I had this nagging query whilst reading this book - is this really worth the time and effort after all I am a male and quarter of a century older than the author. How do I relate to someone trying to convince me from another generation and a different sex.. However it was self evident that Catherine......more

Goodreads review by Emma

I'm going to start by saying I really loved Catherine's other books and wanted very much to love this one..but I just didn't enjoy it as much. Now, there may be a valid reason for this - it may be that I already take joy in the ordinary and am a fairly happy and satisfied person, but I was unconvinc......more

Звичайна блогова література, наче розмова з подругою, особливих відкриттів і інсайтів не пригадую, але деякі думки собі відмічала: про шопінг, очікування тощо. З одного боку, я багато в чому погоджуюся з авторкою. З іншого, мені здається, тема примирення зі звичайністю і "не треба прагнути більше" п......more


Quotes

Life-affirming.

Wonderful.

She made it her mission to learn how to be default happy rather than default disgruntled.

Take a leaf out of Gray's book and be kinder to yourself by appreciating life just as it is.

This book came to me in an hour of need - during lockdown when I had to focus on the positive, appreciate simple things, not lose my shit, and value each day. It was a pure joy for me and held my hand.

Interesting and joyful. Lights a path that could help us to build resilience against society's urging to compare life milestones with peers.