I recently picked up Little Pieces of Hope … Happy-Making Things in a Difficult World, by Todd Doughty. I have enjoyed it immensely! I love that he has included things that I have never heard before which has inspired me to do a little more research on each one. I thought I would capture those things in this blog post that I’ll continue to add to as I read the book. I only included those items that are items that one may not be familiar with and would inspire a google search – I did the work for you. Enjoy!
Happy Making Things – page 3
- The music intro to the NPR’s All Things Considered
- Sondheim
- Stephen King’s Twitter
- Twin Peaks
- Any movie by Katherine Hepburn – especially her entrance in The Lion in Winter
- Ella Fitzgerald’s version of Irving Berlin’s Blue Skies
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Katherine Johnson
- Eudora Welty’s One Writer’s Beginnings
- Caillebotte’s Paris Street: Rainy Day
- E.L. Konignsburg’s From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basie E. Frankweiler
Happy Making Things – page 4
- John Grisham’s novel – A Painted House
- Loretta Lynns’ “Out of my head and back in my bed“
- Jane Goodall
- Diane Fossey
- Brute Galdikas
- Shel Silverstein poems
- Aretha Franklin’s recording of Nessun Dorma
- Lady Bird Johnson
- Zion National Park
- The Eudora Welty House
Happy Making Things – page 5
- Anna Wintour .. The Devis Wears Prada
- Jeter
- Jordan
- LuPone
- Navratilova
- Doc Martens
- My Favorite Things song
- Jessica Lange – Tootsie
- Brooklyn Duo’s instrumental version of a-ha’s “Take on Me”
- Pretty Woman scene
- Mozart’s Requiem
- The Dancing House in Prague
- Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue by Andre Previn playing piano
Happy Making Things – page 6
- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
- Congressman John Lewis
- E.B White’s Charlotte’s Webb
- Roger Angell writing about baseball
- Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night
Happy Making Things – page 7
- Dolly Parton – I Get a Kick Out of You
- Lilies-of-the-valley
- Simone Biles
- Le Creuset
- Meryl Streep parts of Julie & Julia
- Vintage photos of NYC in 1940’s
- The Pacific Coast Highway
- Guys and Dolls
- Adriana Trigiani’s novel Lucia
- Chrysler Building on a rainy night
- David Seders’ audio recording of Santaland Diaries
- Inner Morath’s 1957 photo of Llama in a cab
Happy Making Things – page 8
- Never saw this, but anything with Paul Newman must be a good watch. I’ve put it on my list. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
- I saw this live, well on tv. Nobody has even come close (in my opinion). Whitney Houston’s live version of “The Star-Spangled Banner”
- I’ve read all of Judy Blume’s books (“I must, I must, I must increase my bust’ – anyone remember?). Here’s another one that was mentioned as a favorite. Judy Blume’s Blubber
- I’ve seen this conic chair before, now I know who designed it. Frank Gehry’s cardboard Wiggle Side Chair
- If you grew up in the 80’s, this one is a cult classic. Enjoy! Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl
- We all heard of Anne Frank, but did you know this woman was equally important? Miep Gies
- I’ve seen this print before, now I know the artist. Herb Ritt’s Batman Photo
- I listened to this and what an adorable lovable man … I of course, read his books to DD growing up. Maurice Sendak’s last Fresh Air Interview.
Happy Making Things – page 10
- Yo-Yo Ma and the Goat String Quartet’s recording of Atta Boy.
- Candice Bergen’s autobiography, Knock Wood
- Patty Duke’s autobiography, Call me Anna
- Drew Barrymore’s autobiography, Little Girl Lost
- Seattle’s Gum Wall
- When Harry Met Sally
- Supreme’s recording of the Love Child
- The Grand Ole Opry
- Schoolhouse Rock
- Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant
- Roseville pottery
- Museum of Art in Kansas City
- Show Me your Firetruck from the Backdraft soundtrack
- Katharine Hepburn swimming in the Long Island Sound
- Jimmy Fallon
- 125 years of The New York Times Book Review
Happy Making Things – page 12
- New York Times article, “The Pleasures of Moth-Watching” by Margaret Roach
- Annie Ross’s recording of “This Time the Dream’s on Me“
- Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet
- E.B. White’s The Trumpet of the Swan
- Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming
- David Sanborn’s recording of the “Bang Bang“
- Michael Nyman’s score for The Piano
Happy Making Things – page 13
- Rock Lobster by the B-52’s
- Mary Oliver’s poem – The Summer Day
- Photo of Nixon and Elvis in the Oval Office
- Beethoven’s Ninth
Happy Making Things – page 14
- The delightful Templeton, the grouch, in Charlotte’s Web
Happy Making Things – page 16
- Thritysomething – I remember watching this when I was 17 thinking, ‘wow, they’re old’. I think they should make a show called the Fiftysomething .. or EmptyNesters …. now that’s a show I can now relate to.