Susan Cain, whose book Quiet launched her career as the Patron Saint of Introverts ten years ago, has written a new book that validates English teachers, artists, and everyone who is drawn to sad stories. Her argument – that “sorrow and longing make us whole” – is not new, but her observation that happiness is overrated – and can be toxic — is compelling. If there is one thing that I’ve learned during the pandemic, it’s that many people have good reasons to not be happy. Cain recommends that we see that human sorrow is inevitable, and so we should respond with compassion.
Cain, Susan. Bitter-Sweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole. Crown, 2022, p. 120.