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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
I will tell you that it really felt like an act of madness as I was writing this book.
Chapter 2: What is the significance of stoicism in 'Go Gentle'?
I want to write all about philosophy. I want to make this huge mystery thriller. There was this whole section about internalized misogyny.
Chapter 3: How did Maria Semple create the character Adora?
I had this big crazy ending. And plus, it's a romance. As I was writing it, I never told anybody about it.
People would do this.
Chapter 4: What personal experiences influenced the writing of 'Go Gentle'?
Yeah, exactly.
But I kind of knew that I could make it all work.
Everybody, hi. I'm so pleased to welcome you to the Oprah Podcast. I'm in New York City, home to some of the oldest, coziest, and greatest bookstores in the country.
Chapter 5: What role does the coven play in Adora's life?
Hope you check one out the next time you're here. This year, we're celebrating the 30th anniversary of my book club. The Oprah Book Club, something I'm so proud of because books have been just a balm to me over the years, a comfort and a joy since I was a little girl. And there's nothing I enjoy more than reading a good book, even better when I'm sitting by a fireplace or under a tree.
Oh my goodness.
Chapter 6: How does Adora balance love and self-acceptance?
So when I started the book club, I never could have dreamed that I'd get to my 122nd pick with so many of you readers along for the ride who also find joy in reading as much as I do. I'm honored to host one of the largest and longest running book clubs in the country, and that's entirely thanks to all of you.
Chapter 7: What insights does Maria share about writing comedy versus fiction?
I appreciate you so much. The author of my 122nd pick, Go Gentle is a writer who can create a page-turner, y'all, mixed with painful life challenges and hysterical laugh-out-loud comedy. Yes, her books have sold millions of copies. Welcome, Maria Simple. Hello. Hello.
Thank you.
Maria Simple is the New York Times mega bestselling author of Today Will Be Different, This One Is Mine, and Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, which became a movie in 2019 starring Cate Blanchett. Before becoming a novelist, Maria wrote for iconic television comedies like Saturday Night Live, Arrested Development, and Mad About You.
Her fourth novel, Go Gentle, follows the main character, Adora, a divorced single mother living in the Big Apple whose cheerful determination to live a life of the mind is turned upside down by her heart. It's been 10 years since your last novel. Yes. We've been waiting. Your devoted readers have been patiently waiting.
Chapter 8: How does stoicism influence motherhood in the story?
Tell us about writing this.
So Go Gentle, I'd actually made many attempts at this book while I lived in Seattle, and I had gotten really into stoicism about 10 years ago, and I knew that I wanted my protagonist to be a stoic. And so I started writing from the point of view of the stoic, but I was writing her kind of emotionally shut down.
Stoicism as a philosophy, because I wasn't even familiar with stoicism until I read this book and then I went and got other books about stoicism.
Oh, that's right. So I'll tell you a little bit about stoicism and tell the people about stoicism because it's maybe not as well known as I think because it's such a big part of my life. But stoicism is a philosophy and the Stoics were ancient Greeks. And I think of them as kind of the OGs of the self-help movements.
uh from 300 bc they thought that you could apply reason to achieve happiness and the way you did it was by differentiating between what was within your control and what's outside of your control and you put all of your energy only to what's within your control and they call that virtue and i think of it as kind of personal character And the rest of it, you just cheerfully throw over to fate.
And it sounds simple, but it's certainly easier said than done. And it takes practice, but it is, you then get on a path to achieve happiness.
Okay, so you, Maria Simple, became a Stoic.
Yes.
Meaning taking on this philosophy of living.
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