Why do so many book clubs fall apart? Do the best parties have rules? And does Angela’s husband want to date you?

• SOURCES:
  • Fredrik Backman, author.
  • David Chavis, senior fellow at Community Science.
  • Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
  • Sebastian Junger, journalist and author.
  • David McMillan, clinical and community psychologist.
  • Priya Parker, strategic advisor and author.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Do Conversations End When People Want Them to?" by Adam M. Mastroianni, Daniel Gilbert, Gus Cooney, and Timothy D. Wilson (PNAS, 2021).
  • "3 Steps to Turn Everyday Get-Togethers Into Transformative Gatherings," by Priya Parker (TED Talk, 2019).
  • The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker (2018).
  • Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, by Sebastian Junger (2016).
  • Beartown, by Fredrik Backman (2016).
  • “The 36 Questions That Lead to Love,” by Daniel Jones (The New York Times, 2015).
  • A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman (2012).
  • "Sense of Community: A Definition and Theory," by David McMillan and David Chavis (Journal of Community Psychology, 1986).

• EXTRAS:
  • "How Can You Get Closer to the People You Care About?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "How Do You Connect With Someone You Just Met?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • A Man Called Otto, film (2022).

What’s the difference between being popular and being cool? How has social media changed the trend cycle? And what do Taylor Swift and Walmart have in common?

• SOURCES:
  • Anette Asp, project manager and research coordinator at the California Institute of Technology.
  • Lalin Anik, professor of marketing at Vrije University Amsterdam.
  • Marc Bain, journalist.
  • Judy Blume, young adult author.
  • Colin Camerer, professor of behavioral economics at the California Institute of Technology.
  • James Dean, 20th-century American actor.
  • Ryan Hauser, Ph.D. candidate at the Yale School of Management.
  • Michael Jordan, former professional basketball player.
  • Johnny Miles, senior value manager at Workday.
  • Steven Quartz, professor of philosophy at the California Institute of Technology.
  • David Skinner, editor of Humanities magazine.
  • Lindsey Vonn, Olympic alpine skier.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Do You Think You're Cool?" poll by YouGov (2024).
  • "What Cool Means Now," by Marc Bain (Quartz, 2020).
  • "The History of Michael Jordan's 'Banned' Sneakers," (Complex, 2020).
  • "Brand Coolness," by Caleb Warren, Rajeev Batra, Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro, and Richard P. Bagozzi (Journal of Marketing, 2019).
  • "How to be Cool," by Johnny Miles (UVA Darden Ideas to Action, 2017).
  • Cool: How the Brain’s Hidden Quest for Cool Drives Our Economy and Shapes Our World, by Steven Quartz and Anette Asp (2015).
  • "How Capitalism Created 'Cool,'" by Bourree Lam (The Atlantic, 2015).
  • "How Did Cool Become Such a Big Deal?" by David Skinner (Humanities, 2014).

• EXTRA:
  • "Are We Getting Lonelier?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).

Why do we tell kids that a fairy will give them cash in exchange for their teeth? How should we talk to them about scary things in the world? And is Mike one of the greatest operatic tenors of all time?

• SOURCES:
  • Laura Wheatman Hill, journalist.
  • George Lin, Ph.D. student in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Melinda Wenner Moyer, journalist and author.
  • Luciano Pavarotti, Italian operatic tenor.
  • Amy Stoeber, clinical psychologist.
  • Jacqueline Woolley, professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Parenting by Lying," by Peipei Setoh, Petrina Hui Xian Low, Gail D. Heyman, and Kang Lee (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2024).
  • "Should You Always Tell Your Kids the Truth? It Depends," by Laura Wheatman Hill (CNN, 2021).
  • "Parenting by Lying in Childhood Is Associated With Negative Developmental Outcomes in Adulthood," by Peipei Setoh, Siqi Zhao, Rachel Santos, Gail D. Heyman, and Kang Lee (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2020).
  • "The Santa Lie," by Melinda Wenner Moyer (2012).

• EXTRAS:
  • "When Is It OK to Tell a Lie?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).
  • How to Raise Kids Who Aren't A*******: Science-Based Strategies for Better Parenting — from Tots to Teens, by Melinda Wenner Moyer (2021).
  • Life Is Beautiful, film (1997).
  • "Love at the Five and Dime," song by Nanci Griffith (1986).
  • The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom (1971).