Oprah Winfrey’s latest book club selection is Susan Cain’s Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole.
Cain’s book, published last year by Crown, is a nonfiction account of people whose personalities are marked by sadness, introversion, and a sensitivity to beautiful things in the world. A critic for Kirkus praised the book as “a beautifully written tribute to underappreciated emotions.”
Winfrey announced her pick on CBS Mornings, saying, “In a world where we’re all longing to be happier all the time, she talks about…how embracing sorrow, embracing sadness, is what eventually leads to us being happier in our own lives, that there is no really great life without being able to embrace sadness and happiness together.”
Cain appeared on the morning show to discuss her book.
“Bittersweetness is about the fact that in every lifetime, and in some ways every moment, there’s always going to be a measure of joy and a measure of sorrow in our lives,” she said. “And there’s a kind of richer form of happiness that we can get to by acknowledging that. It helps us realize how precious life is, and it actually connects us more to each other.”
Winfrey also shared her new selection on Instagram, writing, “Bittersweet is a revelation on how embracing sadness and heartache can lead you to the path of creativity, connection and yes, even love.”
Michael Schaub, a journalist and regular contributor to NPR, lives near Austin, Texas.
