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  • Congratulations, by the Way: Some Thoughts on Kindness by George Saunders book cover
  • Congratulations, by the Way: Some Thoughts on Kindness by George Saunders book cover
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Congratulations, by the Way: Some Thoughts on Kindness

by George Saunders

A commencement address on kindness

$17.10 USD
$28.51 USD $17.10 USD
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Awards & Recognition

  • Bestseller

    New York Times bestseller

  • Critical praise

    Praised by The New York Times as “as slender as a psalm, and as heavy”

    The New York Times describes the book as both slender and weighty.

AlbakiReads Editorial

A commencement address on kindness

Built around George Saunders’s Syracuse University graduation address, this short book considers kindness as a practical ethical concern. Its starting point is a familiar tension: the wish to live well alongside the recognition that we can be more attentive to other people. The format keeps the discussion focused on that central idea, rather than presenting a broad survey of ethics. The book’s context as a speech also gives its reflections a clear occasion: advice offered to graduates as they enter a new stage of life.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in brief reflections on kindness and ethical living
  • Graduates or gift-givers seeking a commencement-address format
  • Readers exploring George Saunders’s nonfiction writing

Themes

KindnessEthics and moral lifeGraduation and life transitionsAttention to others

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - This inspiring meditation on kindness from the author of Lincoln in the Bardo is based on his popular commencement address.

Three months after George Saunders gave a graduation address at Syracuse University, a transcript of that speech was posted on the website of The New York Times, where its simple, uplifting message struck a deep chord. Within days, it had been shared more than one million times. Why? Because Saunders's words tap into a desire in all of us to lead kinder, more fulfilling lives. Powerful, funny, and wise, Congratulations, by the way is an inspiring message from one of today's most influential and original writers.

Praise for Congratulations, by the way

"As slender as a psalm, and as heavy."--The New York Times

"The graduating college senior in your life probably just wants money. But if you want to impart some heartfelt, plainspoken wisdom in addition to a check, you can't do much better than [Congratulations, by the way]."--Entertainment Weekly

"The loving selflessness that [George Saunders] advises and the interconnectedness that he recognizes couldn't be purer or simpler--or more challenging."--Kirkus Reviews

"Warm and tender."--Publishers Weekly
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