Bittersweet

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER •ÂOPRAHÂ’S BOOK CLUB PICK •ÂSadness is your superpower. In her new masterpiece, the author of the bestselling phenomenon Quiet explores the power of theÂbittersweetÂpersonality, revealing a misunderstood side of mental health and creativity while offering a roadmap to facing grief in order to live life to the fullest.“Bittersweet grabs you by the heart and doesnÂ’t let go.”—BRENÉ BROWN, author of Atlas of the Heart“Susan Cain has described and validated my existence once again!”—GLENNON DOYLE, author of Untamed“The perfect cure for toxic positivity.”—ADAM GRANT, author of Think AgainLONGLISTED FOR THE PORCHLIGHT BUSINESS BOOK AWARD • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Wall Street Journal, MashableBittersweetness is a tendency to states of long­ing, poignancy, and sorrow; an acute aware­ness of passing time; and a curiously piercing joy at the beauty of the world. It recognizes that light and dark, birth and death—bitter and sweet—are forever paired.ÂÂIf youÂ’ve ever wondered why you like sad music . . .ÂIf you find comfort or inspiration in a rainy day . . .ÂIf you react intensely to music, art, nature, and beauty . . .ÂThen you probably identify with the bitter­sweet state of mind.ÂWithÂQuiet,ÂSusan Cain urged our society to cultivate space for the undervalued, indispensable introverts among us, thereby revealing an un­tapped power hidden in plain sight. Now she em­ploys the same mix of research, storytelling, and memoir to explore why we experience sorrow and longing, and how embracing the bittersweetness at the heart of life is the true path to creativity, con­nection, and transcendence.ÂCain shows how a bittersweet state of mind is the quiet force that helps us transcend our personal and collective pain, whether from a death or breakup, addiction or illness. If we donÂ’t acknowledge our own heartache, she says, we can end up inflicting it on others via abuse, domination, or neglect. But if we realize that all humans know—or will know—loss and suffering, we can turn toward one another.ÂÂAt a time of profound discord and personal anxiety,ÂBittersweetÂbrings us together in deep and unexpected ways.*Includes a downloadable PDF containing a Bittersweet quiz from the book