I know, right? What am I doing posting on a Saturday night — during a holiday weekend no less? Well, the truth is, last night I woke up in a hot sweat thinking that there might be someone out there who has not read Congratulations, By The Way, the book version of George Saunders’ now-famous convocation speech given last June at Syracuse University. And if that is indeed the case, I felt the need to remedy the situation immediately. I know we here at DALS tend to get hyperbolic when the subject is Saunders (author of the award-winning short-story collection Tenth of December and one of the original DALS guest-posters), but diehard readers know why. His writing is big-hearted and generous; his capacity for empathy, seemingly endless. What he regrets most in life, Saunders tells graduating seniors, are failures of kindness.
I believe that by handing Congratulations to a graduate or a friend, you are handing them not just a book, but a message, a philosophy, a worldview.
Here’s one of my favorite moments in the speech:
And so, a prediction, and my heartfelt wish for you: as you get older, your self will diminish and you will grow in love. You will gradually be replaced by love. If you have kids, that will be a huge moment in your process of self-diminishment. You really won’t care what happens to you, as long as they benefit. That’s one reason your parents are so proud and happy today. One of their fondest dreams has come true: you have accomplished something difficult and tangible that has enlarged you as a person and will make your life better, from here on in, forever.
I’ve wanted to get my paws on this book since I heard about it on NPR a few weeks ago. Such a nice giveaway!
Lovely. Thanks for sharing!
My niece is the first in her immediate family to graduate from college and could greatly benefit from reading this book- and I’m sure I would love it to!
Thanks for the opportunity to be selected!
I would love to give this book to my niece who is grafusting next month from high school, she has not yet figured out what she truly wants to do in life but will in the future. I look forward to sharing
Mr. Saunders words of wisdom with her and the other future graduates in my life.
What a fabulous idea!
My daughter is about to graduate from high school. I love that George Saunders has put kindness, or being loving, into the public conversation in such a big way. I see in my daughter and her friends that they are ready for this conversation and they want to embrace this, but they are terrified of the “real world” and how will they make a living. I hope every one of them reads this and that it bolsters them up when they falter.
Awesome! This is on my reading list!
I love Saunders’s writing; thanks for the recommendation. Kindness rocks! I hope I win 🙂
Excited to read this!
Yes, more kindness. Thanks for the post!
Sounds wonderful!
Thank you for solving my graduation gift problem (whether I win these copies or not)! I have two truly special young graduates for whom an ITunes gift card just isn’t good enough.
Neat. Have a graduating senior myself this month.
This book (which i checked out of the library and loved- sorry Random House, hope that doesn’t disqualify me) reminds me of that wonderful poem by Naomi shahib NYE:
Kindness
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.
Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and
purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you every where
like a shadow or a friend.
Naomi Shihab Nye
from The Words Under the Words: Selected Poems
I have a sigh school graduate that I would love to share the book with. Thanks!
Would love to read and share!
daughter graduating this year- would love to share with her.
Would love to read. Thanks as always.
This would make my heart sing. Thanks.
I love this book (already have it so don’t need!) – beautiful message and gorgeously designed. xox
I just graduated from college and am headed to grad school. Would love to take this book with me (and share it with my best friend who also just graduated)!
Haven’t read it, but have heard so much about it!
What a lovely sentiment and a lovely giveaway to match. Thanks for the opportunity!
Would love to read and share…
I hope you’ll send to Canada! I’d love to read and share!