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Inciting Joy
Inciting Joy: Essays | Ross Gay
An intimate and electrifying collection of essays from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Delights In these gorgeously written and timely pieces, prize-winning poet and author Ross Gay considers the joy we incite when we care for each other, especially during lifes inevitable hardships. Throughout Inciting Joy, he explores how we can practice recognizing that connection, and also, crucially, how we expand it. In We Kin he thinks about the garden (especially around August, when the zucchini and tomatoes come on) as a laboratory of mutual aid; in Share Your Bucket he explores skateboardings reclamation of public space; he considers the costs of masculinity in Grief Suite; and in Through My Tears I Saw, he recognizes what was healed in caring for his father as he was dying. In an era when divisive voices take up so much air space, Inciting Joy offers a vital alternative: What might be possible if we turn our attention to what brings us together, to what we love? Full of energy, curiosity, and compassion, Inciting Joy is essential reading from one of our most brilliant writers.
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Morr_Books
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Pickpick

This is my 3rd completed book of the #readathon. I liked it and recommend it. #deweysreadathon @DeweysReadathon

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BkClubCare
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Current essay collection for daily reading “dips”

#CopperBopper #whpg #Griff #DogsofLitsy #ReadICT

QUESTION??? Do you think JOY is a virtue? To satisfy a challenge category…

Ruthiella No. It is an emotion. Sorry. 2mo
BkClubCare @Ruthiella - no apology needed. Is JOYFUL a virtue? Is the word “TRUE” able to fit a virtue category? (If yes, I can read (edited) 2mo
SpellboundReader I've seen virtue defined as 'an inherent character trait.' So I guess it depends on if you consider being joyful, a character trait? 🤷‍♀️ 2mo
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Ruthiella Honesty is a virtue, so would that work for ? (edited) 2mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2mo
BkClubCare @Ruthiella - YES! Exactly the spin I need to make this book fit the category. TY 2mo
BkClubCare @BeeCurious - I do feel that capacity for joy is a fabulous character trait 🌟 2mo
39 likes1 stack add7 comments
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jennirl
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i am rereading INCITING JOY (which is the actual best) with my partner and Gay has got me all hepped up about planning my spring garden beds

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CuriousG
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Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and happy Stat holiday to those who don't but still have time off work 😊
I hope you are all able to find some time to do something that brings you joy. I'm chipping away at getting books onto shelves, although there is a bit of a snag and trim pieces need to come off and be reworked. All will be done eventually.

AnnR Looks great! 🎄📚 4mo
Hooked_on_books That‘s so pretty! 4mo
CuriousG @AnnR @Hooked_on_books Thank you 😊 Building the murphy bed and shelves has been a labour of love. Just some trim pieces to make/paint and it will be all done! 4mo
23 likes4 comments
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HeatherBookNerd
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Gay‘s joy, gratitude, and hope are infectious. He lists many opportunities for joy to be found in some surprising places. There are several stories laced with happiness and fun. But the ones that really stuck with me are the way that joy finds its way even in occasions of grief and shared suffering.

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willaful
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Gay writes so beautifully about the ways he's found to appreciate life, despite the many factors that feel crushing. His pieces are often rambling and digressive -- with footnotes that are sometimes longer than the essay! -- but repay attention.

#URC

willaful (Had to do surgery on my board, because I accidentally wrote down a possible title instead of the prompt & though Lin Manual Miranda does a good narration, I decided not to inflict all of The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao on myself. This was a far more wholesome read!) 5mo
Faranae Honestly, I wouldn't inflict Oscar Wao on anyone I liked, much less myself (except you know, the blog inflicted it on me a few years ago haha) 5mo
willaful @Faranae Alas that I didn't remember that. Ugh what an ugly, depressing book! 5mo
16 likes3 comments
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BkClubCare
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#ReadICT BookSwap! 😃 I left some great ones and picked up these delights (pic on left.) 🌟 Pic on right is of the tagged book/s author! He came to speak but I didn‘t have time to buy a book and get it signed so I didn‘t meet him. 😔

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Sparklemn
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I'm giving this a soft pick. Compared to Book of Delights, I had trouble sticking with this one when listening to it in my car. That being said, I loved the section on grief. And I love Ross! Can't wait to try some of his poetry.

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everlocalwest
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I don't know how to review this book except to say that Ross Gay absolutely floors me every time. If you haven't read him, give yourself this gift.

Also, yes, I flew Southwest because my brother booked our flights. And yes, it was terrible. What chaos!

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Chelsea.Poole
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Ross Gay is a treasure. I wish I was friends with this wonder-filled being. I was moved to tears with several of these essays and nodded along as he describes the simultaneous exhausting and exalting experience of being human. Joy manifests in a multitude of ways, if only we can appreciate it. Admittedly, at times his long/rambling sentences were necessary to re-read but that‘s more a me-problem as I‘ve been distracted by kids, holidays and life.

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HillsAndHamletsBookshop
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I consider Ross Gay‘s Inciting Joy to be a true masterpiece. Gay repeatedly took my breath away with his quiet emotional power, which dazzles in these essays in a wild, satisfying dance between the personal and political. There were at least a dozen occasions where I wanted to stand up and applaud, or weep, or cheer out loud, or reach out and hug my loved ones. Spend some time hanging out with Ross Gay in these essays, you‘ll be glad you did!

HillsAndHamletsBookshop I especially want everyone I know in academia to read the essay Dispatch From the Ruins. 1y
underground_bks 👏👏👏👏👏👏 1y
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underground_bks
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Pickpick

Reading Ross Gay makes me feel (to paraphrase Emily Dickinson on poetry) like the top of my head‘s been blown off…in the most exciting, nourishing, comforting, challenging ways. Here, he muses on the power of community and connection to incite joy, touching on gardening and grief, mutual aid, masculinity, mental health, even skateboarding and pedagogy—offering at every turn a vital, radical, secular yet deeply spiritual wisdom the world needs.

Chelsea.Poole Great review! I‘m reading this now. 1y
underground_bks @Chelsea.Poole can‘t wait to hear what you think! 1y
29 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Our household has been hit with the flu 🤧
My youngest and I have been down for days. Thank heavens for tissues, audiobooks, and Bluey!

jen_the_scribe Hope you all feel better soon! ❤️ 1y
IndoorDame I love your bookmark 🔖❤️ ! I hope it cheers you up a bit! Rest well! 1y
Centique Best wishes for a speedy recovery 🙏 1y
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AmyG Feel better! 1y
wanderinglynn Oh no! I hope everyone feels better soon. 1y
BarbaraBB Best wishes for all of you! 1y
Chelsea.Poole @IndoorDame thanks! My oldest loves to make me bookmarks and I think this one is my favorite one yet 🥰 can you see the monarch caterpillar and butterfly? 1y
IndoorDame I can. I‘m especially fond of monarchs! 🦋🧡🖤🧡 1y
TheBookHippie It‘s nasty !!! It‘s everywhere here. Sending healing vibes your way!!! 1y
Leftcoastzen Sending healing wishes ! 1y
RebL Get well soon 🩹 1y
Ruthiella Hope you both feel better soon! ❤️ 1y
TheKidUpstairs Oh no! I hope you guys are feeling better soon! 1y
80 likes14 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Happy Thanksgiving to Litsy folk who celebrate! Happy Thursday to those who don‘t!

We stayed at a cozy hotel while visiting my husband‘s family.

I‘m feeling so grateful and finding the joy all around, with the help of this life affirming book.

Side note: Ross Gay is so amazing and deserves to be read much more widely than he is. I teared up twice during the first few chapters of this one.

BkClubCare Stacked. I have read Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude and it was delightful 💐 1y
Cinfhen Need to try this author! Thanks for the rec 🧡 1y
kspenmoll I read his first book- I want to read this too! 1y
74 likes3 stack adds3 comments