Little Pieces of Hope

Happy-Making Things in a Difficult World

By: Todd Doughty

Narrated by: Denis Lambert, Romy Nordlinger, Angel Pean, Rene Ruiz, Alexa Sutherland, Jonathan Yen

Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

“Todd Doughty is one of the happiest people on the planet. He finds things big and small that make us smile, and in this wonderful book he shares them with a world he cherishes.” (John Grisham)

“A poetic, sparkling gem you’ll want to pick up every time you need a smile.  It’s the ultimate compendium of joy.” (Kevin Kwan)

An enchanting collection of lists, musings, and prompts that will inspire you to cherish all of the things - from the extraordinary to the everyday, from the big to the little - that bring hope into our lives

On March 11, 2020, the day the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global pandemic and all of our lives began to change in unprecedented ways, Todd Doughty knew he needed to do something to help him stay connected to the everyday joys of daily life. So he wrote down a list of things that make him happy: The musical intro to “All Things Considered”. Someone forgiving you. Someone believing in you. Your foot sticking out from under a blanket in order to find the cool spot. Freshly cut yellow tulips. A really good burger.

Many, many lists later, Little Pieces of Hope pulls together the best of Doughty's lists along with never-before-seen entries, essays, musings, prompts, quotes, and playlists that offer solace, connection, and a daily touchstone of joy in a difficult world.

Little Pieces of Hope is brimming with the pleasures of life, inspiring listeners to look for and celebrate the good things that surround us.

©2021 Todd Doughty (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Todd Doughty gives us permission to have pleasure. Little Pieces of Hope is part meditation/part celebration, a running thank-you note, a time machine that swings us from the Day-Glo '80s to a soft focus future, a to-do list that guarantees you’ll never be bored, a mixed-tape from a person you want to be your very best friend, a rabbit hole to Wonderland and we are all Alice. Part recovery/part discovery, this book is a gift for friends, family, and most especially yourself." (Helen Ellis, author of Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light)

"A dazzling spiritual grab n' go of big ideas, positive thoughts, and helpful suggestions that will lift and delight readers everywhere. Through the lens of debut author Todd Doughty, the weary world goes technicolor. Feast on high octane mixtapes, curated book titles, travel for the curious, and the best in film, theater, and sports.  A small-town boy turned big city seeker, Doughty's personal stories sprinkled throughout pack a wallop as they celebrate family ties, friendship, love, and grief. Josie Portillo's illustrations are glorious. I loved it." (Adriana Trigiani, best-selling author of Don't Sing at The Table and The Shoemaker's Wife)

“Throughout 2020, Todd Doughty was my Comforter-in-Chief on Instagram. Day after day, he offered his followers poignant, cultural touchstones and Proustian madeleines that ranged from great movies to great books to the small, daily moments when we touch the numinous. He reminded us of the remarkable, exquisite beauty that exists in even the toughest of times, and gave us all reasons to - and here is the greatest gift of all - hope. This book will make you nod with recognition and smile with uncontrollable joy. Bonus? You will also find dozens of new songs and photos and books and musicals and TV series to savor.  Everything about Little Pieces of Hope is a gem. You will cherish it when the world is smiling upon you and reach for it when the world is closing in." (Chris Bohjalian, number one best-selling author of The Flight Attendant and Hour of the Witch)

This book is like hanging out with friends (multiple narrators) who love to talk about the best things in life!

This book is one of the best discoveries since I discovered Harrison Ford in the third grade! Lol.

This book is endless lists in different categories of things that bring up so many happy thoughts and feel good feelings. Even if you disagree with the author on certain things he loved, one or two things down the list will be something that you love.

If you are someone like me with an overactive brain and when you get down or feel kind of blue or depressed, you just need to constantly distract yourself to forget how depressed you feel. This book is the best cure for that because it’s just an endless list that keeps your mind busy thinking about one thing and the next thing and the next thing and it just goes on and on.
This book is just full of fun, delightful, happy feel good memories and things one after the other!

I knew I loved this author when he said one of his favorite happy things was all of the Meryl Streep parts in the movie Julie and Julia.

I also think the author and I might have different political preferences and it’s just every once in a while I’m not on board with just a few things but it’s very rare. Most of the stuff in this book is just stuff that so many people love no matter your political leanings.

All of the different narrators I find very pleasant to listen to.

When I started listening to this book I was feeling depressed because I got no sleep and I was so tired it almost felt hard to breathe and I’m going through a dark time.
I went outside to walk and started to listen to this book and my depression was gone within like 20 minutes!

Listening to a never ending list of just happy feel good things switched my brain from negativity and cynicism and what’s wrong in my life to all the things that I love and feeling optimistic and happy.

I think this is going to be one of my favorite audiobooks of all time.

Thank you Todd for such an incredible book!