The Joy You Make

From award-winning author and Washington Post columnist Steven Petrow, a very personal book that speaks to all of us seeking more joy in our lives

After his parents’ deaths, the breakup of his marriage, and his sister’s cancer diagnosis, all within a small window in 2017, Petrow not only felt bereft of joy, he realized he didn’t know how to seek it. This is the story of his search, which takes him from the darkness of the Arctic to a frenetic cancer ward in Manhattan. It also takes him home—as he unearths poignant memories in photos and letters, finds delight in making his family’s holiday pecan pie, and even “embraces his suck” on the tennis court, curiously finding joy despite losing.

Eventually, Petrow has an “aha” moment: Joy is always present—in the everyday, in ties to those we care about, even in grief. We don’t need an expensive vacation, or a new job or car. You need not even sit cross-legged in a painful mediation posture.  

In The Joy You Make, journalist Steven Petrow explores the many variants of joy—and shows readers how to find, cultivate, and share it. Combining his personal experiences with research and expert interviews, Petrow asks (and answers) the question: “What if there was a way to experience the joy in everything?” Come join him on his search, and make it yours.