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Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey
Bestselling author A.J. Jacobs has undergone a life-changing and entertaining journey. The idea is deceptively he takes one of our greatest pleasures- our morning cup of coffee - and tries to thank every single person involved in making it, from the barista to the coffee farmer and all those in between. This turns out to be a stunningly large number, including artists, chemists, presidents, mechanics, biologists, miners, smugglers and goatherds. Hundreds of people. Thousands. Maybe more. Through this seemingly straightforward quest, Jacobs reveals inspiring truths. The book is a reminder of the amazing interconnectedness of our world. It shows us how much we take for granted. It teaches us how gratitude can make our lives happier, kinder and more impactful. And it will inspire readers to follow their own "Gratitude Trails." Gratitude was not an emotion that came easily to Jacobs. His innate disposition is more Larry David than Tom Hanks. But he knew that gratitude is perhaps the most important key to human happiness, the chief of all virtues, as Cicero said. Science has shown gratitude’s benefits are it helps you sleep, improves your diet, and makes you more likely to recover from illnesses. Jacobs wanted to inspire his kids to embrace gratitude, so he decided to commit himself to a radical experiment. Over the course of several months, Jacobs went on a journey that took him across continents and up and down the social ladder. He experienced joy, wonder, guilt and depression. He met great characters. He learned just how far-flung are those involved – from the Minnesota miners who get the iron that makes the steel that makes the coffee roasters, to the Madison Avenue marketers who captured his wandering attention for a moment. His adventures A trip to a remote farm in Colombia, where he experienced first-hand how challenging it is to pick the coffee fruits. Several days with a coffee taster who taught Jacobs the secrets of the trade, and schooled him in the vocabulary that rivals wine sommeliers. (The taster doesn’t just detect notes of apple in his coffee. He says what kind of apple -- Gala? Honeycrisp?) Because coffee is 98.4 percent water, Jacobs visited the vast upstate reservoirs that supply New York City, and thanked the folks whose homes were destroyed to make way for the lakes. Jacobs devotes a chapter on the cup-makers, including the rags-to-riches inventor of the “Java Jacket,” that underappreciated cardboard ring you slip over your cup. It has saved millions of fingers and thumbs from burning discomfort, but we never give it a second thought. The food safety inspectors, who keep our coffee free from an alarming number of diseases and creatures. Along with entertaining tales, the book is filled with wonderful insights and useful tips. Readers learn how to focus on the hundreds of things that go right every day instead of the handful that go wrong. They read about our culture’s dangerous overemphasis on individuals instead of teams. They learn the art of “savouring meditation”. They learn the pros and cons of globalism. They learn to appreciate the astounding work it takes to create even the most simple items in our lives. There’s even a gratitude hack to help them fall asleep.
145 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2018
276 people are currently reading
3247 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 498 reviews
December 27, 2018
3.5 An expanded version of a TED talk given by this author. Was attracted to it for two reasons. I have decided I the coming year to try to focus more on things on the outside instead of always looking inward. This is sometimes hard to do when one has various medical issues and chronic pain. I want to try focusing on what I do have as opposed to what I don't. We will see how that goes, but I'm hopeful. The second reason is simply that I'm a coffee addict and I was curious how far the author would take this.
I enjoyed the way this was written for the most part. Loved the self deprecating humor, his flashes of intuition, and many of his examples. I had no idea how many people it took down the line for me to get a cup of coffee. He listed them, and showed their illustrated faces. Amazing! Don't think I'll look at an item I use daily without realizing all the effort it took for it to come into my hands. At least short term, lol!
He did mention one thing that I realized myself. How thank you has just become something to say to be polite, rote. Saying your grateful is more expressive and thought provoking. Though some people might look at you funny if you tell the bigger at your grocery that you are deeply grateful. So all in all, though it did drag in a few places, this was an interesting book.
I enjoyed the way this was written for the most part. Loved the self deprecating humor, his flashes of intuition, and many of his examples. I had no idea how many people it took down the line for me to get a cup of coffee. He listed them, and showed their illustrated faces. Amazing! Don't think I'll look at an item I use daily without realizing all the effort it took for it to come into my hands. At least short term, lol!
He did mention one thing that I realized myself. How thank you has just become something to say to be polite, rote. Saying your grateful is more expressive and thought provoking. Though some people might look at you funny if you tell the bigger at your grocery that you are deeply grateful. So all in all, though it did drag in a few places, this was an interesting book.
May 1, 2019
What all does it take to make a cup of coffee? Who all are involved? Most of us would think of the barista, the coffee bean pickers, perhaps the packagers and the cashier at the grocery store. Those putting additional thought into it would think of many more, as A.J. Jacobs did when he decided to thank everyone involved in getting his morning cup of joe to him. He embarked on a journey around the globe in his venture to show his gratitude to those who make his cup of coffee possible.
This is an amusing and quick read that shows us just how many people we have to thank for not just our cup of coffee but everything in our lives. Mr. Jacobs stops at thanking 1,000 people -- and that's just people alive! It got me thinking of how much work goes into just about everything we consume, and how many lives affect our own and whom we aren't even aware of. We humans are genetically programmed to notice the negative things in our lives and so we should take the effort to also notice the positive. Notice the things that make our lives easier and more enjoyable. As Mr. Jacobs says, "The act of noticing, after all, is a crucial part of gratitude; you can’t be grateful if your attention is scattered." We can all.... Oh, goodie! I hear the moka pot! Time to go enjoy my own cup of coffee! A huge thank you to the thousands of people involved in giving me this pleasure. Aaaahhhhh.....
May 11, 2019
This is another delightful book from A.J. Jacobs! "Thanks a Thousand" is the story of his project to thank as many people as possible for producing his morning cup of coffee. Jacobs thanks the barista at the coffee shop, the person who selects the coffee beans, the company that makes the lid for the cup, the engineers who provide the water, he even flies down to South America to thank the farmer who grew the coffee plant! His goal was to thank a thousand people, and he lists them at the back of the book.
I've read several books by Jacobs and they're all both insightful and humorous. "Thanks a Thousand" is no different — his story often made me smile and chuckle, but it also made me pause and think about all of the effort and the hundreds of people behind that one daily beverage. Our global industrial economy truly is remarkable.
Highly recommended.
Opening Passage
I've read several books by Jacobs and they're all both insightful and humorous. "Thanks a Thousand" is no different — his story often made me smile and chuckle, but it also made me pause and think about all of the effort and the hundreds of people behind that one daily beverage. Our global industrial economy truly is remarkable.
Highly recommended.
Opening Passage
It's a Tuesday morning, and I'm in the presence of one of the most mind-boggling accomplishments in human history. This thing is so astounding in its complexity and scope, it makes the Panama Canal look like a third grader's craft project.
This marvel I see before me is the result of thousands of human beings collaborating across dozens of continents.
It took the combined labor of artists, chemists, politicians, mechanics, biologists, miners, packagers, smugglers, and goatherds.
It required airplanes, boats, trucks motorcycles, vans, pallets, and shoulders.
It needed hundreds of materials — steel, wood, nitrogen, rubber, silicon, ultraviolet light, explosives, and bat guano.
It has caused great joy but also great poverty and oppression.
It relied upon ancient wisdom and space-age technology, freezing temperatures and scorching heat, high mountains and deep water.
It is my morning cup of coffee.
And I'm grateful for it. Really, really grateful.
September 28, 2019
I just love AJ Jacobs. His lifestyle experiments are so fun and insightful. This short book about thankfulness is from the TED book series which I didn’t know existed, so I’ll be checking out more of those. Here, Jacobs focuses on all the folks it takes to make something he and I both enjoy immensely: coffee. It’s a good reminder to think about the bigger picture and be appreciative for all the things.
November 15, 2018
Gratitude is one of those trendy zeitgeisty topics like mindfulness and minimalism, but it's one that's a little harder for me to swallow. I was pleased to see that one of my favorite authors had written a book on the subject, so it wouldn't annoy me as much to read. I tend to choose a more pessimistic path most of the time, so the idea of being actively grateful is a little bit of a challenge.
For his "gratitude journey," Jacobs sets out to thank everyone who has a role in delivering his morning cup of coffee. He begins with the barista and then he's off rolling a Katamari-esque ball of thanks across the country and beyond.
I would not really have considered embarking on a gratitude journey of my own, because as I said, I'm more of a pessimist and I don't like talking to people. This book really does make you ponder the sheer magnitude of making just about anything in the world, and it's kind of humbling to consider our puny place in that way. This was kind of a nice companion to Jacobs's previous book, It's All Relative and the concept that we are all cousins. Everything/everyone on this dumb planet is linked and this book really puts a magnifying glass on some of those intricate chains.
So, thanks, AJ Jacobs, for writing this book. Thank you to Twitter, which is where I learned of this book's pending publication. Thank you to my local library for having it available to borrow online. Thank you, Al Gore, for inventing the internet.
For his "gratitude journey," Jacobs sets out to thank everyone who has a role in delivering his morning cup of coffee. He begins with the barista and then he's off rolling a Katamari-esque ball of thanks across the country and beyond.
I would not really have considered embarking on a gratitude journey of my own, because as I said, I'm more of a pessimist and I don't like talking to people. This book really does make you ponder the sheer magnitude of making just about anything in the world, and it's kind of humbling to consider our puny place in that way. This was kind of a nice companion to Jacobs's previous book, It's All Relative and the concept that we are all cousins. Everything/everyone on this dumb planet is linked and this book really puts a magnifying glass on some of those intricate chains.
So, thanks, AJ Jacobs, for writing this book. Thank you to Twitter, which is where I learned of this book's pending publication. Thank you to my local library for having it available to borrow online. Thank you, Al Gore, for inventing the internet.
May 14, 2019
In addition to gratitude, there are interesting facts woven into the stories. When the author is thanking people like the coffee grower and people working in the water agency, he includes facts about coffee and water maintenance. There is one part where he goes off on a tangent and is talking about himself (what he's thankful for in his own life). He should have included more stories from people who made his cup of coffee possible. Other than that, it's a nice, feel-good kind of book.
July 5, 2020
I have been a fan of A.J. Jacobs’ books for a while now! I remember reading The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World maybe 10-12 years ago and feeling proud it was my first toe dip into what at the time felt like “serious” adult non-fiction (Which, ha..I know now it’s not all that serious, but it was a big step back when I never read non-fiction) Although I loved The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World and The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, his following books, while entertaining, did start to feel a little gimmicky. Always a year of doing something or some outlandish task, always the same type of jokes. That’s how I feel about his books when I am being cynical.
This is a similar style to his other books: he starts contemplating his daily cup of coffee and decides he needs to thank everyone who helped make it. Somehow, this was the right book for being holed up in the pandemic. I’ve had a lot going on top of dealing with Covid and being stuck in this weird stillness where time feels like it doesn’t really exist doesn’t really help your mental state.
This book, as gimmicky as it can be at times, really helped me in the moment. Something I love about all of his books is his unending curiosity about the world around him ( I have realized as I get older that there are surprisingly a lot of people that DON’T have this quality) and even more than that, the willingness and courage to act on that curiosity. He’s essentially made a career of exploring our random shower thoughts and daydreams and that’s just pretty damn cool.
Then, of course, the gratitude aspect. As goofy as he can be, he’s pretty thoughtful. As I said, he tracks every person who had any hand in his coffee down and thanks them. Everyone from the person who designed the lids to be superior to the pest company who kept warehouses free of bugs. I’m a teacher, and we are often lumped into this category of thankless and underappreciated jobs---social workers, nurses, and cops are there too. While I can’t say I disagree (don’t get me started), this really makes you remember how many TRULY unknown and nearly invisible jobs there are. I at least get daily smiles, hugs, reward of seeing kids grow, connections with families, etc. I don’t get zero validation and people immediately understand what that job is and how it is needed in society.
So many of the employees featured probably work for YEARS and never hear a thank you or see how the product helps people. Most of their customers probably don’t even know such a job exists. It truly made me reflect on how every life, every job and every role in society has a place and is needed. Take pallets for example:
“Pallets move everything. If you’re reading the paper and ink version of this book, it probably took a ride on a pallet. If you’re reading the book on a smartphone or a computer, those were also on pallets.The pants or skirt you’re wearing--those were on pallets…..I wrote down the name of one of the pallets I spotted at the warehouse. It was made by a small New Jersey-based company called Jimenez Pallets. I dial the number.
“Is Rafael Jimenez there?” I ask.
“Yes that’s me.” He has a thick Latino accent.
“Oh great, I want to thank you.”
“For what?”
“I’m a writer, and I’m thanking everyone who made my cup of coffee for reality. And your pallets carried my coffee. So thank you.”
“No problem,” he says. His tone is flat but I wonder if I’m being helpful or just intrusive.
“Can I ask you something for real? Do you appreciate getting thanked, or is it a waste of your time in the middle of your workday?” I say.
Suddenly Rafael warms up. “You never ever waste my time.”
“Oh that’s good to hear.”
“You are a very wonderful person. I really appreciate you taking the time to reach out and thank me.”
Weirdly perfect for these times when “lowly” grocery store workers, gas station attendants, and healthcare workers are keeping this all going.
He also reflects on gratitude in his own life, which again: super-needed right now:
“When I force myself to utter the awkward phrase, "I am grateful," I actually start to feel a bit more grateful...It's basic cognitive behavioral therapy: Behave in a certain way, and your mind will eventually catch up with your actions.”
A short, fun and insightful little book that packs more of a punch than you would think.
This is a similar style to his other books: he starts contemplating his daily cup of coffee and decides he needs to thank everyone who helped make it. Somehow, this was the right book for being holed up in the pandemic. I’ve had a lot going on top of dealing with Covid and being stuck in this weird stillness where time feels like it doesn’t really exist doesn’t really help your mental state.
This book, as gimmicky as it can be at times, really helped me in the moment. Something I love about all of his books is his unending curiosity about the world around him ( I have realized as I get older that there are surprisingly a lot of people that DON’T have this quality) and even more than that, the willingness and courage to act on that curiosity. He’s essentially made a career of exploring our random shower thoughts and daydreams and that’s just pretty damn cool.
Then, of course, the gratitude aspect. As goofy as he can be, he’s pretty thoughtful. As I said, he tracks every person who had any hand in his coffee down and thanks them. Everyone from the person who designed the lids to be superior to the pest company who kept warehouses free of bugs. I’m a teacher, and we are often lumped into this category of thankless and underappreciated jobs---social workers, nurses, and cops are there too. While I can’t say I disagree (don’t get me started), this really makes you remember how many TRULY unknown and nearly invisible jobs there are. I at least get daily smiles, hugs, reward of seeing kids grow, connections with families, etc. I don’t get zero validation and people immediately understand what that job is and how it is needed in society.
So many of the employees featured probably work for YEARS and never hear a thank you or see how the product helps people. Most of their customers probably don’t even know such a job exists. It truly made me reflect on how every life, every job and every role in society has a place and is needed. Take pallets for example:
“Pallets move everything. If you’re reading the paper and ink version of this book, it probably took a ride on a pallet. If you’re reading the book on a smartphone or a computer, those were also on pallets.The pants or skirt you’re wearing--those were on pallets…..I wrote down the name of one of the pallets I spotted at the warehouse. It was made by a small New Jersey-based company called Jimenez Pallets. I dial the number.
“Is Rafael Jimenez there?” I ask.
“Yes that’s me.” He has a thick Latino accent.
“Oh great, I want to thank you.”
“For what?”
“I’m a writer, and I’m thanking everyone who made my cup of coffee for reality. And your pallets carried my coffee. So thank you.”
“No problem,” he says. His tone is flat but I wonder if I’m being helpful or just intrusive.
“Can I ask you something for real? Do you appreciate getting thanked, or is it a waste of your time in the middle of your workday?” I say.
Suddenly Rafael warms up. “You never ever waste my time.”
“Oh that’s good to hear.”
“You are a very wonderful person. I really appreciate you taking the time to reach out and thank me.”
Weirdly perfect for these times when “lowly” grocery store workers, gas station attendants, and healthcare workers are keeping this all going.
He also reflects on gratitude in his own life, which again: super-needed right now:
“When I force myself to utter the awkward phrase, "I am grateful," I actually start to feel a bit more grateful...It's basic cognitive behavioral therapy: Behave in a certain way, and your mind will eventually catch up with your actions.”
A short, fun and insightful little book that packs more of a punch than you would think.
December 28, 2020
The only reason I read this is because it was a gift from my boss. The sentiment of practicing gratitude daily is nice, but WOW what a self-indulgent white savior-esque piece of writing.
August 1, 2020
A.J. Jacobs tries to thank everyone involved in making his morning cup of coffee possible. When I heard that, I thought quite narrowly. Meaning, I thought, okay, thank the barista, then the coffee roaster, then the purchaser, then finally the coffee farmer. But, Jacobs thought more broadly. He thanked the barista, but also the designer and manufacturer of the coffee cups and lids. There's also the coffee tasters, the makers of the coffee grinders, basically everything involved in getting a cup of coffee possible. This includes the water inspectors and food safety people. Then there's the whole chain involved in the delivery process - truckers, wooden pallet makers, steel-workers, etc. The list can go on and on. All the way to the farmers. He did make a trip to Colombia to meet a family of coffee farmers and awkwardly thanked them for their coffee beans. So, he limited himself to thanking about a thousand people, +/- a hundred or so.
This short audiobook, read by the author (love books narrated by the author), is a good reminder for us to be grateful. Especially if one is privileged enough to live in the "1st-world", even if said countr(ies) have ongoing socio-economic problems. It's a reminder that if you can afford a $3 cup of coffee, then you are better off than a whole lot of people on earth. In fact there are a ton of people globally who have to subsist on less than $1 a day. As AJ Jacobs found out, being consciously grateful also leads to being more compassionate. In these days of COVID, I think compassion is what is needed sorely in our society.
This short audiobook, read by the author (love books narrated by the author), is a good reminder for us to be grateful. Especially if one is privileged enough to live in the "1st-world", even if said countr(ies) have ongoing socio-economic problems. It's a reminder that if you can afford a $3 cup of coffee, then you are better off than a whole lot of people on earth. In fact there are a ton of people globally who have to subsist on less than $1 a day. As AJ Jacobs found out, being consciously grateful also leads to being more compassionate. In these days of COVID, I think compassion is what is needed sorely in our society.
April 11, 2019
A few years back my boss got the idea that we should put together a series of classes on different topics for adults.
"I'll do mine on coffee," I said taking a sip of my latte.
"Can you be more specific?" She asked, restlessly swirling the straw of her iced coffee.
"You know, I'll do some research, put together a quick history, we'll make some common coffee drinks and explore different ways to make coffee. Maybe we'll even do a follow up class with some coffee recipes." I thought, feeling like I had a leg up on my coworkers by having a topic selected so early.
I was a fool. Coffee has a history stretching back more than 500 years. And it's a fascinating history which makes it hard to trim the content. Did you know that because of the tea tax coffee became the de facto American drink? Or that coffee houses were always considered politically provocative places? And there are literally hundreds of ways that you can prepare coffee. Never mind, this is about Jacobs's gratitude journey. I could have saved him at least a little time though.
Jacobs was seeking a way to combat his inner curmudgeon and teach his kids about gratitude. Have you ever noticed that people have a tendency to focus on what they don't have or on what has gone wrong? Practicing gratitude can apparently make you more thankful for the things that have gone right.
One of the passages I like best is the following: "In our society, we fetishize the lead singers. And not just in music. The front people in every field - art, engineering, sports, food - get way too much attention. We overemphasize individual achievement when, in fact, almost everything good in the world is the result of teamwork."
And no, gratitude is not some sort of right wing conspiracy Barbara Ehrenreich. At least I don't think it is.
Jacobs starts with his barista and works his way all the way to the farmers in Columbia. Along the way he learns such invaluable lessons as: people are people, there are big warehouses full of coffee, water requires extensive testing before it it considered potable.
Also, way more went into the design of coffee cup lids than I ever suspected. Seriously.
Perhaps the most important thing is that many of us in America have way more choices than people in the rest of the world. Indoor plumbing alone is enough to earn my gratitude forever. Coffee is pretty good too.
"I'll do mine on coffee," I said taking a sip of my latte.
"Can you be more specific?" She asked, restlessly swirling the straw of her iced coffee.
"You know, I'll do some research, put together a quick history, we'll make some common coffee drinks and explore different ways to make coffee. Maybe we'll even do a follow up class with some coffee recipes." I thought, feeling like I had a leg up on my coworkers by having a topic selected so early.
I was a fool. Coffee has a history stretching back more than 500 years. And it's a fascinating history which makes it hard to trim the content. Did you know that because of the tea tax coffee became the de facto American drink? Or that coffee houses were always considered politically provocative places? And there are literally hundreds of ways that you can prepare coffee. Never mind, this is about Jacobs's gratitude journey. I could have saved him at least a little time though.
Jacobs was seeking a way to combat his inner curmudgeon and teach his kids about gratitude. Have you ever noticed that people have a tendency to focus on what they don't have or on what has gone wrong? Practicing gratitude can apparently make you more thankful for the things that have gone right.
One of the passages I like best is the following: "In our society, we fetishize the lead singers. And not just in music. The front people in every field - art, engineering, sports, food - get way too much attention. We overemphasize individual achievement when, in fact, almost everything good in the world is the result of teamwork."
And no, gratitude is not some sort of right wing conspiracy Barbara Ehrenreich. At least I don't think it is.
Jacobs starts with his barista and works his way all the way to the farmers in Columbia. Along the way he learns such invaluable lessons as: people are people, there are big warehouses full of coffee, water requires extensive testing before it it considered potable.
Also, way more went into the design of coffee cup lids than I ever suspected. Seriously.
Perhaps the most important thing is that many of us in America have way more choices than people in the rest of the world. Indoor plumbing alone is enough to earn my gratitude forever. Coffee is pretty good too.
September 21, 2019
AJ Jacobs has become one of my favorite authors and Thanks a Thousand doesn't disappoint! As someone who finds that a grateful life is a happier one, I loved the premise. And his thesis on what it takes to make one cup of coffee is mind-blowing. It will help me look at every day conveniences in a new light. My only complaint is that as a TED book, it was quite short and I think this is a topic he could have easily explored in more depth. Still, the size does make it easily recommendable to people, which I intend to do.
January 26, 2019
Nice book. I am a fan of A J Jacobs and enjoyed his earlier works on the Bible and his breakthrough (for me) 2005 work on his self assigned reading project-the 32 volume Encyclopedia Britannica.
I make it a point to thank people. From the cashier at my local grocery to colleagues in my profession, a sincere show of gratitude is my way of giving back. Jacobs takes on the trail of how his paper cup (with insulating sleeve) of java makes its way, from tree to barista, to his coffee shop in Manhattan.
Coffee is the also my social drink of choice. The tantalizing aroma, the poignant taste, the sheer popularity of coffee makes it fitting and fun.
Jacobs delivers a compact, pleasant book.
Nice to read with your...cup of coffee.
I make it a point to thank people. From the cashier at my local grocery to colleagues in my profession, a sincere show of gratitude is my way of giving back. Jacobs takes on the trail of how his paper cup (with insulating sleeve) of java makes its way, from tree to barista, to his coffee shop in Manhattan.
Coffee is the also my social drink of choice. The tantalizing aroma, the poignant taste, the sheer popularity of coffee makes it fitting and fun.
Jacobs delivers a compact, pleasant book.
Nice to read with your...cup of coffee.
January 21, 2019
A J Jacobs does it again. He makes you laugh a lot while teaching. In this book, he uses his coffee as a jumping off point for a serious, but funny discussion of the importance of giving thanks.
March 23, 2024
A fun, brief look at the supply chain economics that go into a single cup of coffee, and AJ Jacobs's attempt to increase his own gratitude by thanking 1,000 of the people involved. From growers, to shippers, to processors, to baristas, Jacobs thanks them all.
I didn't realize how much this would have in common with my last nonfiction book -- Material World by Ed Conway. They both talk a lot about supply chains and steel production, and reference Leonard Reed's 1958 essay, "I, Pencil". Love the bookish serendipity!
I didn't realize how much this would have in common with my last nonfiction book -- Material World by Ed Conway. They both talk a lot about supply chains and steel production, and reference Leonard Reed's 1958 essay, "I, Pencil". Love the bookish serendipity!
January 22, 2019
Grateful for AJ Jacobs
I am an A J Jacobs fan. His books are journeys that I enjoy following, and Thanks a Thousand is no different. In this day & age especially, I think we need reminders of how fortunate we are and how many people contribute to even the smallest parts of our days. Thank you!
I am an A J Jacobs fan. His books are journeys that I enjoy following, and Thanks a Thousand is no different. In this day & age especially, I think we need reminders of how fortunate we are and how many people contribute to even the smallest parts of our days. Thank you!
November 9, 2019
Thanksgiving books are much harder to find than Christmas themed ones. But I put extra effort in this year and was not disappointed. Jacobs tells an inspiring, educational, and sometimes surprising tale of how coffee gets "from field to face," but instead of focusing on the process, he focuses on his own appreciation and gratitude for said process.
This was my first TED book (I didn't know they existed until I found this book) and it was well-worth the read. Not only does it demonstrate how extensive the coffee-making process is, and that a cuppa joe should cost us $25 rather than $3, it also shows how interconnected we all are. In his telling of his experience, Jacobs includes well-researched psychology and ethics, making his project about more than just saying "thank you."
The full list of 1,000 people he thanked is included in this book, and it's astonishing to see it all in print like that. Jacobs comes from a place of immense privilege to be able to even write this book, and his privilege shows clearly in quite a few places in the book, but the concept is still one everyone could incorporate: Saying thank you more often--and meaning it.
One of the most important points in this book, however, is that acting a certain way makes you a certain way, not the other way around. You can't convince yourself to be a specific way by simply telling yourself to do it; you have to act as though you already are that way, and your brain will comply.
I sincerely appreciated Jacobs' admission of annoyance and attitude issues, saying he was in a general state of irritation more than 50% of the time. I think that if we all were to evaluate our general day-to-day mental state, it may be surprising how much time we spend in negative head space. Knowing that is the first (giant) step toward fixing it, and if we all put as much effort into bringing that negative space percentage down as Jacobs has, the world would be a much better place.
Jacobs forced me to think about my own natural mental status and reconsider what I can do to shift toward a more positive day-to-day experience, just by changing the way my own mind thinks.
This was my first TED book (I didn't know they existed until I found this book) and it was well-worth the read. Not only does it demonstrate how extensive the coffee-making process is, and that a cuppa joe should cost us $25 rather than $3, it also shows how interconnected we all are. In his telling of his experience, Jacobs includes well-researched psychology and ethics, making his project about more than just saying "thank you."
The full list of 1,000 people he thanked is included in this book, and it's astonishing to see it all in print like that. Jacobs comes from a place of immense privilege to be able to even write this book, and his privilege shows clearly in quite a few places in the book, but the concept is still one everyone could incorporate: Saying thank you more often--and meaning it.
One of the most important points in this book, however, is that acting a certain way makes you a certain way, not the other way around. You can't convince yourself to be a specific way by simply telling yourself to do it; you have to act as though you already are that way, and your brain will comply.
I sincerely appreciated Jacobs' admission of annoyance and attitude issues, saying he was in a general state of irritation more than 50% of the time. I think that if we all were to evaluate our general day-to-day mental state, it may be surprising how much time we spend in negative head space. Knowing that is the first (giant) step toward fixing it, and if we all put as much effort into bringing that negative space percentage down as Jacobs has, the world would be a much better place.
Jacobs forced me to think about my own natural mental status and reconsider what I can do to shift toward a more positive day-to-day experience, just by changing the way my own mind thinks.
June 11, 2025
A fun book that’ll open your eyes to the intricate interplay of hundreds of industries, workers, and processes that are all required to make even the simplest of the goods we consume on a daily basis.
This one definitely sparks gratitude!
4 stars because I would have liked to see even further behind the curtain…it felt a bit abridged to me, maybe to make it more widely accessible? Still worth the read, though.
This one definitely sparks gratitude!
4 stars because I would have liked to see even further behind the curtain…it felt a bit abridged to me, maybe to make it more widely accessible? Still worth the read, though.
May 1, 2024
Knyga apie dėkingumą, bet ir kartu apie nieką, kaip aprasomas savas projektas ir tiek. Gal tik dėl ačiū sakymo patiko idėja
March 18, 2019
This book is a great project and idea, plus Jacobs weaves in some interesting facts and background.
November 25, 2018
I don't drink coffee, and I still give this book four stars.
I will compare it to an espresso; not much in regards to volume, but high in effect. This because the book is not about coffee but about gratitude. It's one of the best and most compact attempts of showing how gratitude begets happiness and not the other way around.
A.J. combines engaging details with sprinkles of humor - a style I enjoy very much.
Read it as the shot that it is and you will feel the effects shortly.
I will compare it to an espresso; not much in regards to volume, but high in effect. This because the book is not about coffee but about gratitude. It's one of the best and most compact attempts of showing how gratitude begets happiness and not the other way around.
A.J. combines engaging details with sprinkles of humor - a style I enjoy very much.
Read it as the shot that it is and you will feel the effects shortly.
September 23, 2019
Short but good read.
October 16, 2024
this is cute! aj jacobs takes readers on an interesting, lighthearted journey in thanks a thousand, where he sets out to thank every single person involved in making his morning cup of joe. the premise is charming, refreshing, and novel, and jacob's wry humor and curiosity shines through. it's a delightful and quaint reminder of the many people we take for granted in our daily lives.
however, while the concept is compelling, i think the ted talk format works better, and a condensed version packs a stronger punch. imo, the ted talk captures the essence of the message in a more succinct & engaging manner. in congrats, the book provides a deeper dive into the topic, but felt unnecessarily drawn out in parts, which kind of took away from the impact.
overall: a cute, feel-good read wrapped up with witty and self-deprecating humor, but the message comes across better in the ted talk format. solidly written so if you're a fan of his work, still worth picking up, but for a quick dose of gratitude and perspective, i think the talk is more effective.
however, while the concept is compelling, i think the ted talk format works better, and a condensed version packs a stronger punch. imo, the ted talk captures the essence of the message in a more succinct & engaging manner. in congrats, the book provides a deeper dive into the topic, but felt unnecessarily drawn out in parts, which kind of took away from the impact.
overall: a cute, feel-good read wrapped up with witty and self-deprecating humor, but the message comes across better in the ted talk format. solidly written so if you're a fan of his work, still worth picking up, but for a quick dose of gratitude and perspective, i think the talk is more effective.
January 24, 2019
Title: Thanks a Thousand
Author: A.J. Jacobs
Read by: Read by the Author
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Length: Approximately 3 hours and 13 minutes
Source: Review Copy from Simon and Schuster. Thank-you!
Thanks a Thousand is a great book for January as it details one man’s journey of gratitude. Author A.J. Jacobs tries to find all the people responsible for his morning cup of coffee from the Barista to the coffee growers, to those who make the cups, and all of those in between. It was an interesting journey and a great food for though on how lucky we are to have all that we have. I thought it was also nice for those that were not on the front lines to also be appreciated.
As a water resources / environmental engineer, I was also happy that the water used to make the coffee was also discussed and the author visited the reservoir in upstate New York that supplies the City of New York. I was a little sad though that one of the tour guides seemed to tell him that the solution to pollution is dilution when it comes to fish poop and didn’t get into the details of modern water treatment.
I enjoyed listening to the author’s narration of the book. It was like listening to a person narrate his personal journey to me over a cup of coffee. I liked listening to his journey and how being thankful and expressing his thanks to various people made him overall more grateful in life. It made me think about how I thank people and to make sure I look people in the eyes while thanking them. It also reminded me that I am late writing my Christmas thank-you notes.
Overall, the book was entertaining and enjoyable and it really makes you think about gratitude. It was an inspiriting read.
This review was originally written on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2019...
Author: A.J. Jacobs
Read by: Read by the Author
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Length: Approximately 3 hours and 13 minutes
Source: Review Copy from Simon and Schuster. Thank-you!
Thanks a Thousand is a great book for January as it details one man’s journey of gratitude. Author A.J. Jacobs tries to find all the people responsible for his morning cup of coffee from the Barista to the coffee growers, to those who make the cups, and all of those in between. It was an interesting journey and a great food for though on how lucky we are to have all that we have. I thought it was also nice for those that were not on the front lines to also be appreciated.
As a water resources / environmental engineer, I was also happy that the water used to make the coffee was also discussed and the author visited the reservoir in upstate New York that supplies the City of New York. I was a little sad though that one of the tour guides seemed to tell him that the solution to pollution is dilution when it comes to fish poop and didn’t get into the details of modern water treatment.
I enjoyed listening to the author’s narration of the book. It was like listening to a person narrate his personal journey to me over a cup of coffee. I liked listening to his journey and how being thankful and expressing his thanks to various people made him overall more grateful in life. It made me think about how I thank people and to make sure I look people in the eyes while thanking them. It also reminded me that I am late writing my Christmas thank-you notes.
Overall, the book was entertaining and enjoyable and it really makes you think about gratitude. It was an inspiriting read.
This review was originally written on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2019...
April 24, 2019
I discovered this new book by A.J.Jacobs by accident when I was browsing at the bookshop a couple of weeks back. I got it for my friend and I was so tempted that I got another copy for myself. I finished reading it today.
In 'Thanks a Thousand : A Gratitude Journey from Bean to Cup', A.J.Jacobs tells us that he wants to change himself and feel more happy. (He says in one place that his default mental state is 'generalized annoyance and impatience' and in another place he describes himself as 'My innate disposition is moderately grumpy, more Larry David than Tom Hanks.') To accomplish this, he focuses on his morning cup of coffee, which he loves very much. He decides to find out who are all the people who are responsible for his morning cup of coffee, and thank them individually, either in person or on the phone. He hopes that by feeling gratitude towards people who bring joy to him everyday through his cup of coffee, he will feel more happy. He starts by thanking the barista at the local coffee shop. He next meets the person who buys coffee for that coffee shop and thanks him. A.J.Jacobs thus continues on his gratitude journey during the course of which he goes to interesting places and meets all kinds of fascinating people, including people working at a steel mill, and people working at a post office, and Colombian farmers who grow coffee. It is a fascinating journey and it is fun to vicariously take that journey alongwith A.J.Jacobs, while reading his book.
I loved 'Thanks a Thousand'. It is a beautiful book. It is just 112 pages long, but it has a lot of interesting things in it. We learn how many diverse elements are involved in coffee making, we learn about the fascinating kinds of people involved in it, and it is mind-boggling to learn that so much of work goes into putting that morning cup of coffee in our hands. It is something that I should definitely feel thankful for. A lot. The book is well-written, A.J.Jacobs' humour is charming, and the pages fly. I am glad I read the book. Now I want to read more on coffee.
I will leave you with some of my favourite passages from the book. Unfortunately, they are not about coffee.
"I should really be thanking my mom, especially on this day. It seems odd that birthday celebrations are all about the kid, when they should be really honoring the mom. The emphasis is askew. I mean, what did I do on that day several decades ago? I came out, I cried, I demanded food, I got a mediocre score on my Apgar. The real hero is my mom. She's the one who had her body dangerously distorted by my infant skull."
"We overemphasize individual achievement when, in fact, almost everything good in the world is the result of teamwork.... By elevating individual achievement over cooperation, we're creating a glut of wannabe superstars who don't have time for collaboration. We desperately need more bassists in the world. We can see this playing out in many industries, but let me stick with science for a second. Your typical scientist craves the glory of creating a bold new hypothesis, instead of the equally important but less flashy task of replicating experiments to make sure the conclusions are true. This has led to what's called the "replication crisis." A shocking amount of our scientific knowledge may be inaccurate because we don't have enough bassists in labcoats doing backup.
I'm not immune to the responsibility bias. This book has my name on the cover, but its existence is the work of dozens of people. The idea of a lone author warps reality. In a more accurate world, this book would have many names on the cover, not just mine. We considered it, but my editor, Michelle Quint – one of the best bassists in publishing – thought such a cover would be too confusing and hard to read, so here I am, perpetuating the lead singer myth."
"I've been obsessed with luck for many years, and especially with the debate over whether our lives are ruled by randomness, or whether we are the powerful captains of our own fates.
It's an ancient debate, of course. When I wrote a book about the Bible, I learned the scriptures contain both points of view. In Proverbs, the reader is told over and over : Work hard and you'll be rewarded on this earth. If you follow the rules, if you're not lazy, your crops will flourish and your offspring will be plentiful. This line of thinking has persisted. You can see it in Ayn Rand novels and the ideals of the American Dream and the Puritan work ethic.
But there's another way of looking at the world. The very next chapter following Proverbs is Ecclesiastes, the most modern and philosophical of the Bible's books. Ecclesiastes says : "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, not favor to the men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all." In other words : Don't be prideful. Fate is fickle. More than fickle – fate has Borderline Personality Disorder.
The real world is no doubt a combination of luck and skill, but I lean strongly towards Ecclesiastes. If I had to put numbers to it, 20 percent of my fate has been determined by hard work and persistence, and 80 percent has been cosmic Powerball...
I'm not dismissing the need for effort and persistence. Those who worked their way up from the bottom, who didn't have the advantages I had, need effort and persistence even more than I did. I also acknowledge that, to a certain extent, you make your own luck and create your own opportunities. But only to a certain extent. You also need pure luck. As Barack Obama said in a postpresidential interview with David Letterman, "I worked hard and I've got some talent, but there are a lot of hardworking, talented people out there. There was an element of chance to it, this element of serendipity."
I agree with our former president. There are millions of hardworking, persistent people around the world living below the poverty line. I believe there are thousands of could-have-been Meryl Streeps working as waitresses because they didn't get the lucky breaks. There are thousands of alternative-universe Steve Jobs working in assembly lines in factories.
Here's why I'm a fan of thanking our lucky stars every day : it helps with forgiving yourself your failures; it cuts down on celebrity worship and boosts humility; and, perhaps most important, it makes us more compassionate."
Have you read 'Thanks a Thousand'? What do you think about it?
In 'Thanks a Thousand : A Gratitude Journey from Bean to Cup', A.J.Jacobs tells us that he wants to change himself and feel more happy. (He says in one place that his default mental state is 'generalized annoyance and impatience' and in another place he describes himself as 'My innate disposition is moderately grumpy, more Larry David than Tom Hanks.') To accomplish this, he focuses on his morning cup of coffee, which he loves very much. He decides to find out who are all the people who are responsible for his morning cup of coffee, and thank them individually, either in person or on the phone. He hopes that by feeling gratitude towards people who bring joy to him everyday through his cup of coffee, he will feel more happy. He starts by thanking the barista at the local coffee shop. He next meets the person who buys coffee for that coffee shop and thanks him. A.J.Jacobs thus continues on his gratitude journey during the course of which he goes to interesting places and meets all kinds of fascinating people, including people working at a steel mill, and people working at a post office, and Colombian farmers who grow coffee. It is a fascinating journey and it is fun to vicariously take that journey alongwith A.J.Jacobs, while reading his book.
I loved 'Thanks a Thousand'. It is a beautiful book. It is just 112 pages long, but it has a lot of interesting things in it. We learn how many diverse elements are involved in coffee making, we learn about the fascinating kinds of people involved in it, and it is mind-boggling to learn that so much of work goes into putting that morning cup of coffee in our hands. It is something that I should definitely feel thankful for. A lot. The book is well-written, A.J.Jacobs' humour is charming, and the pages fly. I am glad I read the book. Now I want to read more on coffee.
I will leave you with some of my favourite passages from the book. Unfortunately, they are not about coffee.
"I should really be thanking my mom, especially on this day. It seems odd that birthday celebrations are all about the kid, when they should be really honoring the mom. The emphasis is askew. I mean, what did I do on that day several decades ago? I came out, I cried, I demanded food, I got a mediocre score on my Apgar. The real hero is my mom. She's the one who had her body dangerously distorted by my infant skull."
"We overemphasize individual achievement when, in fact, almost everything good in the world is the result of teamwork.... By elevating individual achievement over cooperation, we're creating a glut of wannabe superstars who don't have time for collaboration. We desperately need more bassists in the world. We can see this playing out in many industries, but let me stick with science for a second. Your typical scientist craves the glory of creating a bold new hypothesis, instead of the equally important but less flashy task of replicating experiments to make sure the conclusions are true. This has led to what's called the "replication crisis." A shocking amount of our scientific knowledge may be inaccurate because we don't have enough bassists in labcoats doing backup.
I'm not immune to the responsibility bias. This book has my name on the cover, but its existence is the work of dozens of people. The idea of a lone author warps reality. In a more accurate world, this book would have many names on the cover, not just mine. We considered it, but my editor, Michelle Quint – one of the best bassists in publishing – thought such a cover would be too confusing and hard to read, so here I am, perpetuating the lead singer myth."
"I've been obsessed with luck for many years, and especially with the debate over whether our lives are ruled by randomness, or whether we are the powerful captains of our own fates.
It's an ancient debate, of course. When I wrote a book about the Bible, I learned the scriptures contain both points of view. In Proverbs, the reader is told over and over : Work hard and you'll be rewarded on this earth. If you follow the rules, if you're not lazy, your crops will flourish and your offspring will be plentiful. This line of thinking has persisted. You can see it in Ayn Rand novels and the ideals of the American Dream and the Puritan work ethic.
But there's another way of looking at the world. The very next chapter following Proverbs is Ecclesiastes, the most modern and philosophical of the Bible's books. Ecclesiastes says : "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, not favor to the men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all." In other words : Don't be prideful. Fate is fickle. More than fickle – fate has Borderline Personality Disorder.
The real world is no doubt a combination of luck and skill, but I lean strongly towards Ecclesiastes. If I had to put numbers to it, 20 percent of my fate has been determined by hard work and persistence, and 80 percent has been cosmic Powerball...
I'm not dismissing the need for effort and persistence. Those who worked their way up from the bottom, who didn't have the advantages I had, need effort and persistence even more than I did. I also acknowledge that, to a certain extent, you make your own luck and create your own opportunities. But only to a certain extent. You also need pure luck. As Barack Obama said in a postpresidential interview with David Letterman, "I worked hard and I've got some talent, but there are a lot of hardworking, talented people out there. There was an element of chance to it, this element of serendipity."
I agree with our former president. There are millions of hardworking, persistent people around the world living below the poverty line. I believe there are thousands of could-have-been Meryl Streeps working as waitresses because they didn't get the lucky breaks. There are thousands of alternative-universe Steve Jobs working in assembly lines in factories.
Here's why I'm a fan of thanking our lucky stars every day : it helps with forgiving yourself your failures; it cuts down on celebrity worship and boosts humility; and, perhaps most important, it makes us more compassionate."
Have you read 'Thanks a Thousand'? What do you think about it?
November 18, 2018
Really enjoyed this, just as I have enjoyed all of the books he has written! Thought-provoking as always. In every one of his books, Jacobs conducts some kind of life experiment (whether it's trying to live according to the Bible literally or trying to follow as much health advice as possible), and in this one, he goes on a journey to thank a thousand people who are involved in the production of coffee: from the obvious ones (baristas at his local coffee shop), to the not so obvious (the person who designed the lid for his coffee cup).
He really made me stop and think about how many different kinds of people have an effect on my life. And one random tidbit: he talked about how basically we wouldn't have anything we have today if it wasn't for trucks, and yet we all get annoyed when we're stuck behind a slow truck on the highway. It's one thing no one is ever grateful before, but as someone said, America would stop if there were no trucks. Next time I'm driving, it's something I'll have to think about.
If you're new to AJ Jacobs book, or don't read much (or any!) non-fiction, I think this book is a great place to start. It's a small book with only a little over 100 pages and a very easy read. Highly recommend!
Blog: thebookishexpedition.wordpress.com
Instagram: @moonspree
He really made me stop and think about how many different kinds of people have an effect on my life. And one random tidbit: he talked about how basically we wouldn't have anything we have today if it wasn't for trucks, and yet we all get annoyed when we're stuck behind a slow truck on the highway. It's one thing no one is ever grateful before, but as someone said, America would stop if there were no trucks. Next time I'm driving, it's something I'll have to think about.
If you're new to AJ Jacobs book, or don't read much (or any!) non-fiction, I think this book is a great place to start. It's a small book with only a little over 100 pages and a very easy read. Highly recommend!
Blog: thebookishexpedition.wordpress.com
Instagram: @moonspree
December 16, 2018
What does it take to get your daily cup of coffee in your hand? A lot. A.J. Jacobs goes on a quest to thank a thousand people involved in delivering his daily cup of Joe's Coffee. He starts with the barista, and works his way through the owner, to the logo designer, to the people guaranteeing purity in water and food inspection, to truck drivers. He talks to pallet makers, steel manufacturers, the designers of the cup lid and java jacket, all the way down to the people picking the coffee cherries.
This is my first book by Mr. Jacobs, but not the first one I've been interested in. It's a very short book, so it won't take you long to read. It was an interesting and enjoyable read, that makes you think about what it takes to get each and every one of our daily conveniences. It is good practice to be reminded to be grateful for the little things, and how much work it takes to get those little things to us.
This is my first book by Mr. Jacobs, but not the first one I've been interested in. It's a very short book, so it won't take you long to read. It was an interesting and enjoyable read, that makes you think about what it takes to get each and every one of our daily conveniences. It is good practice to be reminded to be grateful for the little things, and how much work it takes to get those little things to us.
June 9, 2021
This book was engaging and quite easy to read; the author uses a very conversational style, which, for the most part, works well. The premise is both intriguing and yet very simple, and I enjoyed thinking through the various people, products, and acts of labor that go into making a cup of coffee. That said, I took issue with several of the author’s conclusions, noticed some glaring omissions, and felt that the gratitude journey was fairly superficial at times. In a way, however, this made the book more engaging — I found myself thinking through why the author’s perspective didn’t sit right with me and what might be perhaps more important in terms of acknowledging, respecting, and showing appreciation for the work others do for us, than getting in touch, as a stranger, to simply say thanks.
March 23, 2019
I was intrigued by the idea of this book, by sort of got turned off by the idea of the author making money off this project. Sort of like, “look at me, look at how great I’m being by thanking all of these people, even though they aren’t making anything from this and I am.” Plus wouldn’t we all like to drop everything and travel around the world on a project? Hard to relate to a person for whom that is reality.
August 27, 2019
Entretenimiento amable para una tarde de verano? El autor quiere dar las gracias a las al menos mil personas involucradas en la elaboración de su café de cada mañana. Lo compré tras oir la entrevista que le realizó Russ Roberts en Econlib pero la entrevista es superior al libro, al que falta verdadera reflexión. De hecho el libro es inferior al "I Pencil"de Leonard Read que Jacobs dice no haber conocido antes de ponerse a escribir el suyo. Con todo, una lectura agradable y sin complicaciones.
February 21, 2019
I love the idea of a book about gratitude, but this fell flat for me. It wasn't very engaging, and seemed more gimmicky than reflective. Interesting concept, but maybe it could have been executed in a different way? No, of course I don't know what way. That is why I am a reader, not a writer.
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