Cheerfulness

by Garrison Keillor

In Cheerfulness, veteran radio host and author Garrison Keillor reflects on a simple virtue that can help us in this stressful and sometimes gloomy era. Drawing on personal anecdotes from his young adulthood into his eighties, Keillor sheds light on the immense good that can come from a deliberate work ethic and a buoyant demeanor. "Adopting cheerfulness as a strategy does not mean closing your eyes to evil," he tells us; "it means resisting our drift toward compulsive dread and despond." Funny, poignant, thought-provoking, and whimsical, this is a book that will inspire you to choose cheerfulness in your daily life.  

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir, Essays, Biography Memoir

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 13, 2023

About the author

Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, singer, humorist, voice actor, and radio personality. He created the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) show A Prairie Home Companion (called Garrison Keillor's Radio Show in some international syndication), which he hosted from 1974 to 2016. Keillor created the fictional Minnesota town Lake Wobegon, the setting of many of his books, including Lake Wobegon Days and Leaving Home: A Collection of Lake Wobegon Stories. Other creations include Guy Noir, a detective voiced by Keillor who appeared in A Prairie Home Companion comic skits. Keillor is also the creator of the five-minute daily radio/podcast program The Writer's Almanac, which pairs poems of his choice with a script about important literary, historical, and scientific events that coincided with that date in history.
In November 2017, Minnesota Public Radio cut all business ties with Keillor after an allegation of inappropriate behavior with a freelance writer for A Prairie Home Companion. On April 13, 2018, MPR and Keillor announced a settlement that allows archives of A Prairie Home Companion and The Writer's Almanac to be publicly available again, and soon thereafter, Keillor began publishing new episodes of The Writer's Almanac on his website. He also continues to tour a stage version of A Prairie Home Companion, although these shows are not broadcast by MPR or American Public Media.

Reviews

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

For this and other book reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I pre-ordered my autographed copy of Cheerfulness by Garrison Keillor. Having long been a fan of his now defunct show, A Prairie Home Companion on public radio, and a reader of all his Lake Wobegon books and his 2021 memoir, what more could he offer? A lot, it turns out.

Cheerfulness is not an ordinary self-help book. It’s filled with anecdotes only an octogenarian could offer, with wisdom and the humor one comes to expect from Keillor. The book reads in part like an extension of his memoir, and that’s all right by me. But the overall theme is that anyone can find their way to be cheerful. I find this rather humorous coming from Keillor, who has always come across as something of an Eeyore to me. But that’s all a facade, as he relates story after story that could bring any average person down, but he finds the joy in it.

Keillor shares a bit about his stroke and open heart surgery, and his 25-year old daughter, whom he says is on the autism spectrum. Stories told are dealt with warmth and humor and a realization that life is finite, so we better choose cheerfulness.

As always, even though I have the physical copy of the book with a personalized inscription to myself, I always also order the audiobook to enjoy the soothing baritone voice I grew up listening to. Keillor is, after all, a former radio host, and knows how to narrate not only his works but also authors like Mark Twain, too. Get the audiobook; you won’t be disappointed.

[Richard Tolleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Keillor makes the case for being cheerful, regardless of circumstances. Is he a Pollyanna? No, a realist. He knows (as all of us should) that there are things he can't do anything about, so why worry about them? Taken to the extreme, entire nations and systems would crumble, and Mr. Keillor would probably say that would not be an entirely bad thing.
Cheerfulness is full of Mr. Keillor's dry humor, puns, limericks, and reminiscences. Some stories he's repeating for the umpteenth time, but so what? It's like a relative retelling you an amusing anecdote. This book won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you need a reason to be cheerful, you might give this book a try.

[Douglass Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and studied more than a dozen books by Mark Twain and now, one by Garrison Keillor, 'Cheerfulness'. My experience is skewed. At this point, I view Mr. Keillor much like Mark Twain - Light. Both Midwestern Americans wrote humorous essays and books that while often incisive, generally save some of their most trenchant satire for themselves. Both writers are grateful to their origins, and while mostly honest (in their words), both remain unapologetic. Each is provocative, often hilarious, yet unambiguously imperfect and even vulnerable. In different ways, they are able spokespersons for an American way of life. Neither writer asks the reader for permission or forgiveness, saying in effect, This is who I am, take it or leave it.
After surviving his second major open-heart surgery (mitral valve repair in his 50s, and mitral valve replacement plus tricuspid valve repair at age 80), Garrison Keillor has written a homily to cheerfulness and gratitude, two of my favorite retirement topics. Regarding cheerfulness, Mr. Keillor quotes Mr. Twain: “The best way to cheer yourself is to cheer someone else up.” In this way, Keillor allows Twain to give his rationale for this book and perhaps, much of his career with 'Prairie Home Companion' on National Public Radio.
Garrison Keillor’s takes on gratitude include:
• “I’ve enjoyed my writing life though I have a large mausoleum of abandoned works and know what drought feels like, but I invented a town when I was 30 or so and have felt at home in it…”
• “Old age is definitely worth the wait… The beauty of growing old is that I’m no longer trying to find myself. I’m here… The burden of my pretensions lightens… Eighty is not the end of the world, but I can see it from here, so I don’t have long-range goals.”
• “I sit down to write every morning and that is the grand prize. Except that morning I turned 80, I sat on the porch in Connecticut with the woman I love and saw even more clearly how lucky I am. I’m a leaning tower of good fortune… we prose writers are unsinkable.”
• Keillor tells readers that cheerfulness is an attainable choice in our everyday lives, and “the secret of cheerfulness is, as Buddha and Jesus both said, to give up wanting material things.”
An insightful and humorous literary contribution of 'Cheerfulness' comes with Mr. Keillor’s glossary:
• Cheerfulness is a choice.
• Happiness is more circumstantial.
• Joy is for angelic beings.
• Blissfulness is brief, unless it is blissful ignorance.
• Jubilation is rare but Keillor can still remember it from a ride at the Minnesota State Fair.
• Elation is momentary.
• Contentment is sweet and comes with family.
• Gaiety is lovely and used to mean ‘inexplicably high spirits’.
• Glee tends to be cruel.
• Triumph is related to glee, but it’s a word we seldom use.
• Exultation is too fancy and formal, somewhat like glee.
• Delight is delightful but usually unattainable.
• Euphoria is unrealistic and best left alone.
Keillor finishes his word study by telling readers that cheerfulness is rare among writers. He describes the ‘dark turns’ taken by many authors and repeatedly through this book comes back to the self-destructive behaviors of many of his writer models, including tales of authors’ alcoholism and other forms of substance abuse, depression, and suicide.
I did not find Keillor’s accounts of other writers’ depression, substance abuse, and suicide edifying, as I had when I read William Styron’s 'Darkness Visible'. Rather, it almost felt as though Keillor was gloating that he was so lucky that he never considered suicide. I found Keillor’s Spartan and evangelistic tone more judgmental and overbearing than Mark Twain’s writing. Keillor’s humor didn’t soften the blow the way Mark Twain does in both of his long travelogues, with many tales of imperialism and slavery to attack ('The Innocents Abroad' and 'Following the Equator'). Twain preaches, but in a tongue-in-cheek manner that at least suggests he is not taking himself too seriously. Keillor’s Brethren roots shine through. Keillor’s comparison of chaos and austerity and the implications he draws from the comparison provide an example:
• “I once knew a couple of men, both writers, whose lives jumped the tracks and fell into chaos, and who became a shadow of themselves… drug addiction, depression, bad choice of companions, and one drank himself to death… I also knew two men who lived lives of strict simplicity, austere, abstentious, militant in their focus on vocation, and faced with a choice between chaos and austerity, austerity looks awfully good.”
• “Chaos – a life driven by impulse – is ever threatening to take us over the edge and it must be resisted…”
He goes on to tell how he just stopped smoking after years of two packs per day (‘cold turkey’), just quit drinking alcohol after years of daily whiskey, gave up television and other unrewarding habits, etc. It sounds a bit messianic and prideful (a dangerous combo in its own right).
Keillor tells readers, “Fundamentalism is not fun…” and “comedy and reverence are not incompatible”… Nevertheless, Keillor’s religiosity in 'Cheerfulness' sometimes becomes overbearing, and some of the incantations of scripture feel preachy:
• “Without the resurrection, St. Michael’s would just be an association of nice people with good taste in music, but when it hits you what you’ve actually subscribed to, it can blow your head off…”
• “... the plane ride got bumpy and then sort of turbulent, dozens of agnostics behind me are praying intently to the Eternal Whatever…”
• “Adversity draws you closer to the Lord. Bliss leads you to believe He is unnecessary.”
• “Mostly, 'Prairie Home' (Keillor’s radio show) was hard work. Comedy does not come easy to a Brethren (fundamentalist) boy.”
I think he comes closest to successfully imitating Mark Twain’s incomparable ability to discuss heavy moral issues with a lightness that does not make one feel scolded when he described his philosophy of radio broadcasting: “… I realized that the farmers listening to me while they looked at the udders of Holsteins did not care so much about my thoughts about the decline of American society, they wanted to hear about the engineer sentenced to death by guillotine who lay on the platform but they couldn’t get the danged blade to drop on his neck and were about to commute his sentence but he looked up and said, ‘No, hand me the pliers. I see where the problem is.’…”
Keillor humorously praises and quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson, whom he calls the Sage of Concord and his Champion of Cheerfulness:
• “I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road, and not be questioned about their motives.”
• “The louder he talked about his honor, the faster we counted our spoons.”
• “Cultivate the habit of gratitude… Give thanks continuously.”
• “Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. Nothing great is achieved without enthusiasm.”
But then Keillor got sidetracked with a screed about Emerson’s mentee, Henry David Thoreau:
• “Henry Thoreau, in comparison (to Emerson), was something of a crank and a fraud. He advocated civil disobedience, spent a day in jail, and Emerson paid his fine. When Henry said, ‘Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.’ He may have been thinking of himself. He usually did. What he knew about the mass of men was a good deal less than what he knew about squirrels. I was impressed by him in college and then never picked him up again.”
• “Thoreau was the great camper (after telling readers how bleak Keillor finds camping) because no one loved him but his mother.”
I would call Thoreau’s 'Walden' the 'champion of simplicity' (a virtue Keillor praises when he attributes it to Buddha and Jesus, but cannot comprehend coming from Thoreau) to Emerson’s 'champion of cheerfulness'. As for 'On Civil Disobedience', it may not have impressed Garrison Keillor, but it reportedly inspired Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King Jr.
I can easily imagine that some might find Cheerfulness to be largely a collection of dad jokes, farting jokes, and knock, knock jokes that take humor to the point of silliness; Keillor is often simplistic and simple-sounding. For example, “It’s like the teacher who asked the little boy, What does your daddy do? Daddy’s dead. What did he do before he died? He clutched his chest and tried to talk and then he fell over unconscious and we called the ambulance.”
But the author also produced colorful and evocative juxtapositions of conflicting emotional experiences:
• “When my daughter was 18, I went to the prom with her and stood in the gym with other parents as our kids processed in, boys in suits and ties, girls in prom dresses… a local band of codgers my age struck up ‘Brown-eyed girl’ and our kids went a laughing and a running… This was a school for kids we once-called handicapped, now we say learning challenged but when the music played they were all equal in the eyes of the Lord… here they were ecstatic, including a girl injured as an infant who’s blind in one eye, walks with a lurch, one arm semi-paralyzed and she was dancing like mad, and it struck me… these kids don’t think there’s anything wrong with them… That’s my vision of cheerfulness. You get some hard knocks in life but you still dance and you let your heart sing. I didn’t get knocked as hard as those kids did and any despair I feel is grandiosity; get over it.”
• “It was cheerfulness that propelled the Beatles to American stardom in 1964, a propulsive lightness after the bitterness of Dallas, the motorcade, the hero and his lady in the open car, the horror of the Zapruder pictures of her arm around him, then his brains blown out. Lee Oswald seeing Jack Ruby approach in the city garage… And then this Liverpool band flew into town, as much jug band and music hall as rock ‘n’ roll…”
• “Cheerfulness was what drove a junior Senator from Illinois into the White House in 2008 against a much more experienced Republican opponent whom he easily beat… he was hands down the funniest man ever to occupy the White House.”
I think humor is most funny when its author concomitantly acknowledges vulnerability. In Cheerfulness, these moments are most often about Keillor’s relations with his family:
• “I come from cheerful people. John and Grace kept a good humor and loved each other dearly… I cannot remember them ever complaining about the unfairness of life or envying the privileged… Mother did not encourage complaint – ‘Others have it worse than you’… I learned cheerfulness from my parents.”
• “Marriage is the true test of cheerfulness – to make a good life with your best-informed critic who’s seen you at your worst and could cite examples but chooses not to.”
• “Our parents did not read books about parenting, and when they gathered with other adults, they didn’t talk about us, they had their own interests… They didn’t instruct us on how to behave…; we learned by imitating them and other grown-ups.”
• “Never marry someone who lacks a good sense of humor. She will need it especially if the marriage lasts and she winds up being married to an old man.”
At one point, Keillor tells readers that his friend, former Nevada Senator and Democratic leader, Harry Reid, had compared him to Mark Twain. He downplayed the comparison. But his multiple quotes from Twain at the end of 'Cheerfulness' suggest to me that Keillor has seen Mark Twain as a model or hero. Imitating heroes is another method, along with writing one’s way to internal conflict resolution, that I admire. I found enough to love in 'Cheerfulness' to register for Keillor’s Substack and follow along. I was busy being a physician during the Prairie Home Companion era, so his style is new to me. Another imperfect hero, perhaps.

[Jeff Clausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because it has limericks, lots of em, very good ones. There are few who devote themselves to limericks and so I recognize this man’s contributions to the art.
Otherwise it’s mostly autobiography plus some pithy comments on aging. He tells us what he appreciates— Ralph Waldo Emerson, his doctors, the internet, and plenty of what he doesn’t care for—Thoreau, noisy hip restaurants, and The Orange Menace. While much of this is somewhat familiar to many of his readers, the gist of it all is to be cheerful, man, as the alternatives are a waste of energy. I agree.

[Norm Goldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garrison Keillor, the renowned American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality, has long held a place in the hearts of audiences worldwide.

Some of us may remember Keillor’s radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, premiered in 1974 and ended in 2017. It featured a mix of comedy sketches, musical performances, and his signature monologue, “The News from Lake Wobegon,” a fictional Minnesota town that became a central element of the show.

Born on 7 August 1942, in Anoka, Minnesota, Keillor has had a prolific career in the entertainment industry. Apart from his work on A Prairie Home Companion, he has written numerous books, including novels, essays, and short stories. Notable works include Lake Wobegon Days, The Book of Guys, and Pilgrims: A Wobegon Romance.

Continuing his tradition of captivating audiences globally, Keillor’s latest work, Cheerfulness seamlessly intertwines humor, nostalgia, and astute observations about life’s eccentricities. He invites his readers on a nostalgic journey that seamlessly intertwines the warmth of rural Americana with universal themes of love, friendship, and personal growth.

The book unfolds in twenty chapters, resembling an autobiography infused with Keillor’s dry and understated wit. He skillfully pokes fun at everyday experiences cleverly, not too over-the-top.

The pages have a literary style that is both accessible and rich, as he turns regular moments into candidly interesting stories. And he is good at noticing details and understanding people. What is cool is how he finds special moments in ordinary events from his own life. It’s like sitting by the fire and listening to stories that feel like old, treasured memories.

In the opening chapter Keillor shares the insight that life may bring hard knocks, yet encourages one to keep dancing and let the heart sing. Reflecting on his upbringing in the 1950s, he reveals that his shyness led some relatives and teachers to perceive him as gifted, though he discloses that he was, in fact, autistic rather than artistic.

One cannot help but admire the precision and depth of the definitions presented in the extensive Glossary chapter. Keillor's remarkable insight is evident in the meticulous articulation of terms such as cheerfulness, joy, blissfulness, jubilation, elation, contentment, gaiety, glee, triumph, delight, and euphoria. His ability to discern subtle distinctions between these positive emotions is truly noteworthy. Each term seems carefully chosen to encapsulate a distinct nuance of cheerfulness, providing readers with a profound understanding of the diverse and vibrant spectrum of positive emotional experiences. For example, according to his perspective, his depiction of "gaiety" involves dressing up and a certain kind of frivolity, emphasizing that ordinary people in everyday attire can easily achieve cheerfulness.

Keillor delves into his experiences after his heart surgery with a mix of humor and insight. .He reflects on the idea of having more years to live but also considers that younger people might not see it as good.

In a humorous exploration of aging, Keillor addresses various challenges, including topics like erectile dysfunction. He amusingly suggests, "God created erectile dysfunction because old men can't be trusted to raise little kids. It's nature's way of saying Enough out of you.” This whimsical viewpoint injects a comedic element into the narrative, providing a lighthearted and amusing insight into the aging journey and the evolving dynamics between generations.

Thinking back on his radio show Prairie Home, Keillor says, it was tough work. Making people laugh isn't easy, “especially for a guy like me who grew up in a Brethren community.” In the world of public radio, some folks saw the show as a bit embarrassing—a side act just to bring in money from less sophisticated listeners. He remembers going to NPR conventions and noticing the smirks on the faces of classical music announcers. Despite spending hours writing funny segments like Guy Noir, Lives of the Cowboys, and Ruth Harrison Reference Librarian, he felt like these announcers, who only had to play classical music records, considered themselves way better. He felt bad for them, sitting in a studio, talking all fancy, and thinking they were above criticism because they dealt with "classical" stuff. His tone shows a mix of frustration, irony, and understanding, revealing the challenges and opinions he faced in public radio.

It's important to mention that Keillor has faced controversies, including accusations of inappropriate behavior, which led to his departure from Minnesota Public Radio in 2017.

According to Keillor, at 75, he was essentially kicked off public radio, but instead of feeling down, he became cheerful almost immediately. He describes it as a simple scheme by a man and a woman who had been part of the show for a long time—basically, they told him, "Pay us a million bucks or we'll say bad things about you." Minnesota Public Radio didn't bother investigating; they just let him go. Surprisingly, Keillor found a sense of liberation in being canceled. People kept their distance as he strolled around St. Paul, and oddly enough, he was okay with that. He was no longer the radio guy; he was just himself. The mood in Keillor's version carries a mix of resilience, candidness, and a touch of liberation from the controversy.

Overall Cheerfulness offers a captivating exploration of life's eccentricities. Seamlessly blending humor, nostalgia, and astute observations. Keillor's narrative is both engaging and thought-provoking. And what makes Cheerfulness truly compelling is Keillor's knack for finding special moments in ordinary events, creating a reading experience reminiscent of sitting by the fire and listening to cherished stories. It's more than a book; it's an enchanting journey through lives ups and downs, presented with a touch of wisdom and Keillor's signature charm.

Follow Here https://tinyurl.com/ypdvw4yn To Read Norm's Interview With Garrison Keillor

[Jean Carlton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed picking this up and reading a couple of Keillor's always amusing reflections on life every so often. It's 2025 now and his words regarding the current state of the U.S. seemed exactly up to date. However, it was published in in 2023. Unfortunately, it all still works. When he wrote this, our country was being led by an unsavory, ill-equipped 'wanna-be-king' and sadly, this is once again true.
Same person.
GK pulls no punches on his feelings. Using humor helps and it's at least a distraction to be reminded of watching kids play in the park, walking to church, savoring the life he so clearly cherishes. Concentrating on being cheerful.

p 190 "Adopting cheerfulness as a strategy does not mean closing your eyes to evil; it means resisting our drift toward compulsive dread and despond."
p 224 "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better".

[Roy Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garrison has been famous for entertaining us with his stories. I think this is a break from that common thread. In “Cheerfulness” I think he’s simply entertaining himself by writing and in an almost whimiscal manner, as if it was by accident, entertains us in the process. You can clearly see how he has become, without a doubt, a cheerful man in his dotage. Good lessons live in this book if you keep an open mind and a sharp eye out to see and then apply them. Thanks for reminding us of what’s really important, Garrison. RH

[John Dobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

smiles and tears and wisdom

This book is so enjoyable to read. But be aware that it is for mature readers….readers who won’t cry when offended, who can overlook an occasional profanity, and who are predisposed to enjoy the intentions of the book in front of them. There is a lot of humor here, as expected, but much of it aimed at laughing at ourselves and enjoying our lives. I found it 98% delightful.

[Elaine Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great pleasure to read this book. I am tempted to buy multiple copies and send it to friends because it is so upbeat

[Shawn B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and I love Garrison Keeler. 30 years ago listening to one of his performances, inspired me to take a 70 day bicycle trip from Anacortes Island Washington to Manhattan NY.

This book has once again changed my trajectory (my wife wants my future grandchildren to call me “.Grumps” if you need to know my personality). The book ,told through life experiences and yarns encourages the reader to look at the world through the eyes of a cheerful person… Not neglecting its sadness, pain and danger, but letting your cheerfulness affect the world around you. Being the thermostat rather than the thermometer as they say. Mr. Keeler writes everything with humor and doesn’t take himself too seriously which is probably why I love him so much.

My wife and I bought this book at one of his performances in which we took our 13-year-old daughter. Our daughter loved it almost as much as we did.

Getting older can be scary but this book helped me put a different spin on life which has me looking at things a bit differently.

Mr. Keeler wrote this book during President Trump‘s first presidency and he holds no punches for the way he feels about The Trump administration, however he does it through humor and again he makes fun of himself way more than anyone. I honestly think Conservatives and Liberals both would enjoy this book, as long as we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

Once again…Thanks, Mr. Keeler!

[David Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about Cheerfulness is going to be joyful to read, at least one hopes, and fortunately this one gave me a sense of cheer everytime I opened it. In many ways it sets itself up as a companion to his memoir, That Time of Year, a Minnesota Life. If you've read that book as I did earlier this year, you'll be familiar with many of the stories in this book. The difference is that those stories are re-told so that the author can say, see, this is why we should be cheerful! He's survived smothering religion, bad relationships, substances, false accusations, etc. And after all those things, he announces himself having come out cheerful and hopeful about life. In a Christian context maybe 'Joyfulness' would have been a better title, certainly better than 'Happiness', but Cheerfulness works as well and is not exclusive to one worldview.

[Nan · Rating 3 out of 5]

As he entered his 80s, Garrison Keillor adopted a slightly different outlook on life: less grump, more cheer. He makes a case for spending his remaining days focused on kindness, forgiveness, and looking at the bright side. Although that's the main point, this book is often rambling and repetitive. I kept finding myself asking, "Didn't he go over this already?" and he had. A better editing job could have tightened things up and allowed his outstanding wit and gift for story-telling to shine more clearly.

[K-BRC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book so much. It felt like an old friend had come to visit so we sat with a glass of wine and chatted every evening. I could hear Garrison Keillor’s voice every day and be entertained. We used to listen to him on NPR as we’d drive cross-country regularly. I may have even recalled those times while I pondered Cheerfulness. Really, really loved this book. Thanks for reminding me to choose cheerfulness, I will.

[Dave E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Titled after Garrison Keillor's adopted attitude for entering old age, this book serves as much as an autobiography as you might have expected him to write...full of stories, humor, limericks, opinion and advice. If you have enjoyed his previous books and radio shows, you will probably enjoy this book as doesn't just entertain but also provides insights into what makes him tick.

[Jan Brattain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give this five stars because it lived up to the title. It was full of good cheer and reasons to be cheerful in spite of the condition of the world around us. Yes, there were some filler bits but all in all, it is an encouraging book, encouraging us to be nicer.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read Lake Wobegon Days and a lot has happened since then. I enjoy Mr. Keillor's wit and storytelling. I would recommend this book to anyone who was a fan of his radio show.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

How disappointing! The book itself was fine for the first 3 chapters, charming, insightful, funny and all that one would want. By Chapter Four, it turns into a political screed that I did not sign up for. A shame. I won't finish it. I feel like I was defrauded.

[Lynda Bennett Valladares · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give everyone a copy of this. “Even Mozart had an eraser.” He makes me want to write again if only for the joy gained.

[Elizabeth]

As heard on Garrison Keillor's Podcast:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/praireh...

[Michael Irelan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and well written. Thank you.

[Sharon R Zuiderveld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty and wise.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Profound, funny, and sad all in the correct proportions. On the surface, it's advice for the aging, but these are precepts we should all live by for a better world

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up listening to Prairie Hone Companion and the Writers Almanac. Now, as an old man, Garrison Keillor dispenses much needed good advice and stories.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars because this was a delightful find on the community book shelf of our local bagle shop! And because it accomplished its goal and left me a Cheerfulness Believer.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delight! Reading about Garrison Keillor's cheerful take on all that happens to him at eighty years of age makes me feel quite cheerful myself.

Keillor quotes Emerson (and this quote is one I can't hear often enough):
Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. Nothing great is achieved without enthusiasm.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (pp. 14-15). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

Diligence is all well and good but thank God for wild good luck.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 29). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

Cheerfulness is rare among writers, maybe because the failure rate is so high, or maybe because it’s not taught in school.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 44). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

NOTE: Never marry someone who lacks a good sense of humor.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 56). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

Nobody ever said to me, “Eighty is the new seventy.” Because it’s not, it’s the home stretch. Most of the people living on earth when you were a child are now dead: that world is gone.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 56). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

As a young man, I practiced irony and saw pretense and arrogance wherever I looked, and now I see splendor and bravery and genius and kindness as the real story and have faith that the story will keep going. I am kind to strangers; I hold the door open for people except young women who might be offended and tell me to go to hell.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 65). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

As Anne Frank wrote, “Despite everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart. … I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.” If this child hiding from Nazis in an attic in 1943 could be cheerful, then by God so can I.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 74). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

Cheer up. As Dr. Nash once said about my skinned knee, “It looks worse than it is.”

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 114). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

At age 96, Mother told me, “There’s so much I’d still like to know but there’s nobody left to ask.”

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 126). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

Like the old gospel song says, “This world is not my home, I’m only passing through,” and it feels good to be a tourist.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (pp. 128-129). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

It wasn’t depressing to visit the dying, it was a mission: nobody should die alone, we need to see our people to the end of the block.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 144). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

Most tragedy is misunderstood comedy. God is a great humorist who is working with a sleepy and distracted audience. Lighten up. Whatever you must do, do it wholeheartedly, even gladly. As you get older, you’ll learn how to fake this.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 162). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

I go to church to think more freely. I mostly believe or believe that I do. I understand those who don’t—the idea that omniscience and omnipotence are contradictory, I get that. I believe God will clear this up when we meet Him. But I am moved by the prayers, the readings of Scripture and sometimes the singing is so joyful it reduces me to rubble.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 166). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

I hum a note and a thousand people sing “O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder” and they know the words, the stars and the rolling thunder and with all their souls they sing, “How great Thou art” and it is sort of stupendous, and it feels like even the unbelievers got swept up in it and we sing the last line, “How … great … Thou … art” and I put my hand to my heart and thank them. They’ve given me a new vocation. I’m the only octogenarian stand-up comic who incorporates hymns into the act and it serves a holy purpose: it pulls people into harmony with others they imagined they despised.

Keillor, Garrison. Cheerfulness (p. 189). Prairie Home Productions. Kindle Edition.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ... very close to 5 ... that’s how much I loved this book! Being from Minnesota, as Keillor is, I loved all the references to our beautiful state. I love Keillor’s irreverent sense of humor, he just cracks me up! I wish he still worked on PRARIE HOME COMPANION. His heart still seems to be in Minnesota, but after being ousted (to put it mildly) from MPR, I can see why he left the station. I am still bummed they treated him like trash to be “thrown out with the bathwater.” His book really lifted me up in so many ways. As a 70 yr. old who doesn’t alway come across as cheerful, I might just give in to what he’s “selling.” :-) I also plan to give this book as Christmas presents to my husband (he got a real kick out of your humor too!) and my daughter, a St. Paul Police Detective. I know she will love it as much as we did. Thank you for writing such a great book ... keep writing please. Someone in Minnesota who is a lover of limericks, poetry and all things that create “Cheerfulness."

[Jerome Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoying being cheerful

Highly recommend this book. Garrison takes us through his life and shows us by example that being cheerful isn't as hard as we imagine it to be. Take time to recite or write a limerick. Enjoy yourself and with that enjoyment of others will follow. Great and effortless read. But it does make you think as well.

[Bill Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introspective Cheerfulness

I am a big fan of Garrison Keillor, a reader searching for “Lake Wobegon” humor will be disappointed. A fan who wants to understand more about the mind that created this place will leave delighted and enlightened.

[Chris Daily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hokey but important messages to everyone. What brings you joy?