Updated December 16, 2022 at 8:18 AM ET
About the Episode
When A.J. Jacobs set out to thank everyone who made his morning cup of coffee, he realized the chain of thank-you's was endless. This hour, Jacobs shares ideas on gratitude — and how to make it count.
About A.J. Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is an author and journalist, best known for writing about his lifestyle experiments. He is also editor at large at Esquire magazine, a commentator on NPR and a columnist for Mental Floss magazine.
Jacobs' works chronicle his self-experiments, which have involved taking a vow of total honesty, following the Bible literally for a year, and reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. He is the author of four New York Times bestsellers, including Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey. In addition to his books, Jacobs has written for The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, New York Magazine and Dental Economics magazine.
He holds a BA from Brown University.
Featured Speakers
Tony Fadell: The First Secret Of Design Is... Noticing
As humans, we easily form habits and get used to our surroundings. But at what cost? Designer Tony Fadell says the first step towards innovation is to stop and notice the things we take for granted.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The Danger Of A Single Story
Novelist Chimamanda Adichie shares the story of finding her authentic cultural voice—and warns that if we only hear a single story of another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
Mónica Ramírez: Passing The Mic To Migrant Farmer Workers
From wage theft to sexual harassment, migrant farm workers experience injustices that often go unseen. Mónica Ramírez advocates for "passing the mic" so these communities can tell their own stories.
David Steindl-Rast: Want To Be Happy? Be Grateful
Humans want to be happy... and Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast says gratitude and happiness go hand in hand. He shares ideas on how we can all slow down to appreciate the world around us.
Robin Ince: Science Versus Wonder?
Does science ruin the magic of life? Comedian Robin Ince says the more we learn about the astonishing behavior of the universe, the more we stand in awe.
This episode of TED Radio Hour was produced by Katie Monteleone and Diba Mohtasham. It was edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.
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