Chicken Soup for the Soul

June 25, 2018
Newmark’s lively, upbeat addition to the long-running Chicken Soup for the Soul series will not disappoint its many fans. Full of encouraging slogans, stories, and suggestions, the book shows people stepping outside their comfort zone in ways small and big, from a retiree who attends a Kiss concert, to a 64 year-old first-time marathoner. The first-person stories are short and sweet, and run the inspirational gamut, with tales of finding love, meeting career challenges and changes, and overcoming lifelong fears (such as that of performing at piano recitals). Fewer tearjerker stories appear than series readers might expect, but there are a few, including from a daughter who found caring for her mother after her mother’s stroke to be “an incredible blessing” and from a widow on her first solo trip after her husband’s death. And if one is looking for some encouraging stories about volunteerism as an enriching option in retirement, read on—contributors describe working for the Salvation Army and organizing a shelter for human trafficking victims, among other services. Readers looking for a jolt of inspiration and feel-good sentiment will be pleased with this companionable book.