Everything is Extraordinary: True stories about how we live, love and pay attention

by Cole Moreton

'Clive James raged against the dying of the light, as you would expect from a man who had punched out prose like a prizefighter all his life; yet he also showed grace and gratitude at being allowed to stay in that light for a little while longer. He saw beauty in even the smallest things. Every moment was potentially precious, because there were so few left. As his daughter Claerwen said, for him "Everything was Extraordinary."'

What if we could learn to live with such awareness long before the end? To appreciate every moment, and every encounter with another human or with the natural world around us? Might we, too, learn that everything is extraordinary? That we are interconnected and interdependent?

Each encounter we have with another person is potentially meaningful because our very humanity depends on being connected with others. As Desmond Tutu 'I couldn't be a human being on my lonesome, I wouldn't know what to do.'

In a set of lyrical meditations, award-winning writer and interviewer Cole Moreton takes us face-to-face with the famous, the infamous -- and others with insights to share -- from Scarlett Johansson, Tiger Woods and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to Zahra, a refugee who crossed the Channel on a tiny, overladen rubber boat. We meet all of them as equals and each fascinating story tells us something about the way we live, love and reach out to find each other, whoever we are.

Everything Is Extraordinary builds into a mesmerising and lyrical meditation on the joy of being alive and open to the world. All we need to do is pay attention.

239 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2023

About the author

Cole Moreton is a writer and broadcaster exploring who we are and what we believe in. His BBC Radio 4 series The Boy Who Gave His Heart Away won multiple awards including Best Documentary in the BBC Radio Awards, Best Writing at the World’s Best Radio Awards in New York and gold for Audio Moment of the Year at the Arias.

Cole writes for the Mail on Sunday and was named Interviewer of the Year at the Press Awards 2016, then shortlisted again in 2018. His work has appeared in the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Sunday Times, and many other.

The first of Cole’s non-fiction books was Hungry For Home: A Journey To America From The Edge Of Ireland and published by Viking in 2000. This combination of journalism, travelogue and dramatised true events told the story of the evacuation of the Great Blasket Island in County Kerry and followed the journey taken by the islanders to new lives in the United States. It was shortlisted for the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for a first book in any genre.

His second book was called My Father Was A Hero (Viking) and told the story of the men and women who returned home to London after WW2 but could not handle peace time. His third book Is God Still An Englishman? How Britain Lost Its Faith (But Found New Soul) was published by Little, Brown. It explores the dramatic changes in British culture and spirituality over the last 30 years and celebrates the possibilities for the future.

His fourth book was a retelling of the story of The Boy Who Gave His Heart Away for HarperCollins. His debut novel The Light Keeper will be published in August 2019.

Reviews

[Melanie Caldicott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a thought-provoking collection of stories from Moreton's life as a journalist reflecting on small moments of significance that helped him see life in a new way. From the rich and famous to the spiritual and political greats to a young refugee these encounters reflect on the power of story and the transformative influence of inspiration, faith and determination. Touched with moments of humour, Moreton's down to earth and, at times, vulnerable narrative is warm and humble. An enjoyable, inspiring read.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, to me, this book is about connections, connections with each other and with the rest of the world and with nature... And these stories are proof that everything IS extraordinary, and that every everyone is important.
The author describes his encounters with others: an interview with Scarlett Johansson, getting to the funeral when Nelson Mandela died, trying to speak with Desmond Tutu and frightening him, the time he tried to crash the funeral of the Kray brothers' mother, even stories about his childhood friend and relatives... The stories are touching, emotional, and sometimes funny. When he talks to others, they talk about others who affected them too. It's great. Anyone reading this will feel more connected.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything is Extraordinary is Cole Mortenson's reflections on different encounters he had with various people, most famous but some not, over the course of his years as a journalist. This list includes famous writers like Seamus Heaney and Phillip Pullman, actors like Scarlett Johanson and Susan Sarandon, religious leaders like Desmond Tutu, and political figures like Queen Elizabeth. Mortenson does an excellent job of taking these rather surface encounters (as every interview by nature is) and having them all go deep in unique ways. More than a who's who of culture over the past few decades, the book illustrates that there is beauty in all of us. While there were a couple interviews and insights I strongly disagreed with, I especially loved his last interview and he was wise to place it there.

Some quotes from the book:
Zoom forces us all to speak to the mirror like the wicked stepmother in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, wondering, am I fair enough?

It pleases me greatly that she is a great scholar. I find that an endlessly renewable source of interest and love. - Clive James

If you want the muse to visit you, she needs to know where you are. So, my advice is to go to your desk every day and stay there. The habit of being in the same place every day is an enormous help for all sorts of reasons. If you decide that you are going to produce three pages every day, as I have done for fifty years, it does help you overcome those periods when it is difficult. So what if it is? Do it anyway. - Philip Pullman

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cole is a skilful storyteller and he recounts the stories in a meaningful and hopeful way which makes the extraordinary relatable and his writing style is easy to read.

[June Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Positive human stories

[Laura Lloyd (Hoggard) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting collection of stories of encounters with different people. Well-written and easy to read.

[Claire Pedrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of conversations with humans. And extraordinarily ordinary and every day. It was a delight to give it attention for a while.

[Philip Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So well observed. The drama of living and living. The art of finding the key which unlocks hidden treasure. A great choice of inspiring people from the most well known to the least.