American writer Gretchen Rubin: biography, list of books, reviews

Gretchen Rubin is an author who makes you think about happiness and human nature. The writer has a huge readership: more than 3.5 million copies of books have spread around the world, she actively communicates with readers on the Internet, answers their questions, discusses happiness and good habits. Gretchen is the author of many books, including the bestsellers Four Trends, Happy Home, and The Happiness Project, which has been on the bestseller list for more than two years.

Who is R. Gretchen?

American author and blogger Gretchen Kraft Rubin was born December 14, 1965 in Kansas City, Missouri. She grew up and graduated from school there. She received a bachelor's degree from Yale and is a law specialist. She began her career in the Supreme Court and continued as the chief adviser to the chairman of the Federal Commission.

Now the writer is known for her projects on happiness. Rubin Gretchen leads a blog on this topic, writes weekly podcasts that are on the list of the best since 2015. The “Guru of Happiness," as Gretchen is called, teaches at Yale Law School and the School of Management. Lives in New York with her husband and two daughters. Fast Company has included her name in the list of the most creative people in the business. Gretchen participates in the O. Winfrey show and, of course, writes books with pleasure.

How does it write?

The American writer Gretchen Rubin is known not only for conveying complex ideas with clarity and humor in her works, but also for inviting readers to share their thoughts, tips, programs, methods that help them become productive, get rid of old habits, acquire new and become successful and happy. That is how her book “The Happiness Project” was created, as the author herself says, “a report on my success”.

What is happiness?

Once, Gretchen thought that the years would slip away, and she risks living a life of nothing. She wants to be happy, but did not think about how to become one. A wonderful husband, wonderful daughters, life in your beloved city and beloved business. She is healthy, she has a good relationship with friends. However, he is discouraged and losing his temper due to trifles, suffering from bouts of depression and melancholy.

This situation is familiar to many. Someone seeks advice from friends, someone for help from psychologists. So Gretchen thought: how to enjoy every moment of life? How to get rid of routine? Be the best mom and wife? Everyone knows: nothing in life will change if a person does not change it. And Gretchen decided to become happier and devote a year of her life to this.

How it all began?

Gretchen Rubin typed a bunch of books in the library, plunged into reading Thoreau, Plato, Schopenhauer, began to study how the religions of the world interpret the word “happiness”. But before you make changes to life, you need to decide in which particular area they are needed? The twelve months of the year became the cells of the table where Gretchen included the most important aspects of life: marriage, friendship, work, hobbies, etc.

After I decided on the tasks, principles, commandments, and secrets appeared. The projects of happiness implemented by others were encouraging, but the project of happiness Gretchen Rubin was different from them: she had a family, she did not want to give up her life. Acquaintances doubted the results of this undertaking, but she reacted calmly to this, since preparing for troubles became one of the goals of the project, and began to realize what was planned.

Project “Happiness”

On one of the areas where she wanted to change something, Gretchen worked for one month. During this time, bad habits were forgotten, good habits were fixed and became the norm. Then Gretchen took the next step. First of all, in January, she began to increase the level of energy, because the addition of vitality helps to cope with obligations.

In February, she set herself the task of remembering love. Family relationships have become a priority: stop whining and grumbling, do not wait for praise and confirm your love. In March, Gretchen learned to set high goals - work helps to cheer up, solved tasks inspire. She started a blog dedicated to the Happiness project, but since her plans did not include communication with the audience, after a while she was very surprised that the blog was very popular. Summing up the results of March, Gretchen Rubin discovered a connection between happiness and ambition.

No happiness without love

Parental responsibilities became a priority in April, and in May, the author paid attention to entertainment and came to the conclusion that they are of several types and teach organization, help to fully relax and work more productively. In June, Gretchen learned not to forget about her friends' birthdays, find time for communication, visit them and make new friends.

July became a piece of happiness - she gave herself gifts, learned to buy the right and refuse the unnecessary. In August, Gretchen Rubin thought about eternal values, started a diary of thanks, and found a spiritual teacher. September was the period when the author took up what she loved, learned to save time for reading books, took up writing, and set a goal to master new technology.

Guru of happiness

October was the moment when in her project “Happiness”, Gretchen Rubin decided to revise her habits, get rid of those that prevent me from becoming happier, and acquire new ones that bring joy, positiveness and, of course, benefit: to learn how to meditate, keep a nutrition diary , do drawing or music - in a word, that brings peace of mind. In November, she decided to live an easy life, and in December she began to summarize the project.

Throughout the time, the writer kept a blog and shared with readers her ideas, facts from her biography. Gretchen Rubin became popular, and several million people followed the progress, many tried out the author's methods and obligations and applied them in their lives. Thus, Gretchen Rubin's book on happiness became popular long before its publication in 2009. And although on the account of the writer there were already several works, her name became known to millions of readers precisely after this project.

After happiness

In 2012, the book “Happy at Home” was published. In it, the author told readers what changes have occurred in her life since her first “Happiness Project”. Five years have passed from the moment she decided to become happy, and in her life a lot has remained the same - an apartment, work, children, a husband. But this project made her happier, she made the changes to become a “real Gretchen”. Without changing your life, changed her? Apparently, it is.

The author calls the new work "Project" Happiness "No. 2". It is much deeper. From the first project, it became clear that happiness is most affected by one's own home. In the book “Happy at Home,” Rubin shares the tricks that helped her to feel at home in her own home. This is a personal project, and it reflects its values ​​and interests, but in the world there will not be a single person who would not benefit from this project.

change yourself

Following the “Happiness” projects, the book “Good Habits, Bad Habits” was published. It can be safely recommended to those who long for change. The author, who studied the biographies of famous people, gives illustrative examples from the life of the great, draws on the experience of contemporaries and explains that good habits can dramatically change a person’s life. Everyone knows that for this you need to get rid of bad habits. But how to do that?

The author of the book will explain why the process of forming new habits is so difficult. Gretchen will teach effective strategies that will help bring better and new things to life. What is noteworthy in the book? The author takes a rather peculiar approach to this process and explains the origin, formation of habits and character of a person not like in most such manuals.

The author cites the research of scientists and sets out in simple language, offers tests that will help the reader determine the type of personality and, taking into account individual characteristics, approach the formation of good habits. The obvious things that many people know open up in this book in a new way. Readers are waiting for answers to eternal questions: “What habits have led to obesity?”, “Why is it so hard to keep the“ New Year’s promises ”?” etc.

Take everything from life

Another work of the author in the field of self-improvement is the book “Power, money, fame, sex. Guide to Action ”, released in 2003. Here, readers will find the stories of famous businessmen, politicians, actors - in short, those who have achieved everything that is included in the concept of "American Dream."

The writer has collected material based on facts and events of modern economic, political and social life of the United States. Vivid examples, tips and methods that the author gives in the book inspire both career advancement and help to become more successful in everyday life.

Four categories

In 2017, the book The Four Tendencies was released. In this small book, the author talks about four types of people and characterizes each of them in detail. Freud inspired this typology of the author, and those who are familiar with his work can easily determine it. For example, Gretchen argues that a person is born with a certain tendency and does not change it anymore.

The truths known to everyone in the book of Gretchen are opened in a new way, since it reveals them in simple words and reinforces with vivid examples. The writer focuses on four types of people:

• Upholders are “excellent students” and rule lovers. For them, discipline is comfort and freedom. And they feel uncomfortable if for some reason they have to break the rules.
• Questions are researchers and rationalizers. In order to decide what to do right or do something, they will shovel a bunch of sources. They ask so many questions that they suspect that they simply do not want to do anything. Gretchen writes that their questions are “not an excuse,” simply the questioners are so arranged: they cannot begin a business in which they see no reason.
• Obligers are people of duty and lovers of external responsibility. It’s easier for them to fulfill what they promised than what they wanted. They put the needs of others above their own and often, in order to achieve the goal, ask others to set conditions for them. Not everyone agrees on this, because from the outside it seems odd: what are the problems? Do you want - do it, do not want it - do not do it. But so are obligers - the “do it, I will check” condition is simply necessary for them to motivate.
• And finally, rebels. These are rebels, and that’s all said, their freedom and desires are inviolable, even when it takes a lot of effort. The generally accepted rules to which they obey without enthusiasm, in principle, do not work with them.

The author’s approach is very interesting, in addition to her blog, in addition to the book, there are many articles and podcasts on this topic.

Other books

In addition to the books mentioned above, Gretchen Rubin belongs to:

• Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill (2003).
• Forty Ways to Look at JFK. New York (2005).
• Profane Waste (2006).
• Better Than Before (2015).

Reader Reviews

In the books of G. Rubin, according to readers, there are many tips for developing good habits, the motivation to be brighter, kinder and better. After reading them, one inevitably asks oneself the questions raised by the author: what is happiness, why can not get rid of excess weight. After analyzing the read, you apply the methods and advice of the author in your life.

Many say that books are written easily and readily, the impression is that you are talking with a sincere friend. The examples cited by the author inspire and motivate. The accessibility, humor and depth of presentation, the sincerity of the author open eyes to many things, and you realize that “most decisions are simple”, you only need to set a goal and take the first step to a new life: “Feeling the goal is very important for happiness.”