The idea was deceptively simple: New York Times bestselling author
A.J. Jacobs decided to thank every single person involved in producing
his morning cup of coffee. The resulting journey takes him across the
globe, transforms his life, and reveals secrets about how gratitude can
make us all happier, more generous, and more connected.
Author A.J. Jacobs discovers that his coffee--and every other item in
our lives--would not be possible without hundreds of people we usually
take for granted: farmers, chemists, artists, presidents, truckers,
mechanics, biologists, miners, smugglers, and goatherds.
By thanking these people face to face, Jacobs finds some much-needed
brightness in his life. Gratitude does not come naturally to Jacobs--his
disposition is more Larry David than Tom Hanks--but he sets off on the
journey on a dare from his son. And by the end, it's clear to him that
scientific research on gratitude is true. Gratitude's benefits are
legion: It improves compassion, heals your body, and helps battle
depression.
Jacobs gleans wisdom from vivid characters all over the globe, including
the Minnesota miners who extract the iron that makes the steel used in
coffee roasters, to the Madison Avenue marketers who captured his
wandering attention for a moment, to the farmers in Colombia.
Along the way, Jacobs provides wonderful insights and useful tips, from
how to focus on the hundreds of things that go right every day instead
of the few that go wrong. And how our culture overemphasizes the
individual over the team. And how to practice the art of "savoring
meditation" and fall asleep at night. Thanks a Thousand is a reminder
of the amazing interconnectedness of our world. It shows us how much we
take for granted. It teaches us how gratitude can make our lives
happier, kinder, and more impactful. And it will inspire us to follow
our own "Gratitude Trails."
