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Running Press Adult

What We Keep: 150 People Share the One Object that Brings Them Joy, Magic, and Meaning

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Description

Everyone has that one object that holds deep meaning -- some relic that speaks to their past, that carries a remarkable story. What We Keep is a collection of interviews with people about the single object in their life that has the most emotional significance, those objects we often don't talk about but that make us who we are. Why, for instance, does author Cheryl Strayed keep a particular pincushion in her bedroom? And how did a notebook sketch change the life of comedian Hasan Minhaj? The objects and stories revealed in this collection belong to people from all walks of life -- from business leaders like Mark Cuban and Melinda Gates to celebrated authors like Ta-Nehisi Coates and James Patterson, from astronauts to autoworkers, from former counterfeiters to cloistered nuns. Each story appears in the form of an "as told to" along with a photo of the object, allowing readers to see the nicks and scuffs on a locket, a playing card, a pocket knife -- and providing an intriguing glimpse into the small, emotional moments that make 150 fascinating people tick. At a time when the dueling trends of decluttering and over- consumption seem to offer no middle ground, What We Keep provides a fresh perspective on both, and leads us to consider our own objects in a new light -- not only what we truly value but why. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Running Press Adult


Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 25, 2018


Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 208 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 076246254X


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 44


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.68 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.38 x 0.75 x 9.5 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #328,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #61 in Americana Antiques & Collectibles #69 in Photojournalism (Books) #907 in Pop Culture Art


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If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Wednesday, Dec 3

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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Beautiful idea, beautifully designed book
Format: Hardcover
Very interesting premise, with many many articulate contributions on the subject. That would be terrific in and of itself, but the design of the photos and typography plus the quality of the printing was a true delight.
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2024 by S Yag
    • Itself an absolute treasure. Pick a page.
Format: Hardcover
I love books that you can pick up, flip to a page and receive an instant mini-story, a window into a life, a love. What We Keep is a direct communication from someone's core to yours - a confession of what's most important, most cherished, most meaningful. From Melinda Gates (an APPLE computer!!! Heresy!) to Hasan Minhaj and Mark Cuban, this really is a delightful and engaging book you'll want to keep around at home or in the office - it definitely gets you thinking, too, about the things, the mementos we all keep, where they are now, and what they still mean. LOVE this book. Then again, I like slinkys, too ;) ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2018 by ekot
    • What would I keep?
Format: Hardcover
What WOULD I keep... if I could pick that one thing that holds a deep meaning in my life? This book made me think...
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2020 by Madelyn
    • A Book About Objects That Is Really About The Human Heart
Format: Hardcover
Bill Shapiro's and Naomi Wax's marvelous "What We Keep" explores the inanimate objects we value that animate our spirits. It offers telling glimpses into the human condition by shining a light on the seemingly mundane objects people cherish: a homeless man's rock that keeps him grounded amid a transitory life; a teenager's game puzzle that helps him stay connected to his late mother; a comic book cover drawn by an investment manager when he was young and aspired to a creative life far removed from his current occupation. The list goes on and on, but what is so compelling about these different objects is that they all are located in the same place: the essential human desire to remember where we came from so we can better navigate the journey towards where we are going. I loved this book and so will you. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2018 by Seth Gross
    • A special read
Format: Hardcover
This book is a really interesting collection of surprisingly intimate stories. I never realized how much one object can say about who a person is, and about what they value most. The stories are at the same time heartwarming and bittersweet. While most of the stories resonate on some level, I found myself most drawn to the ones told by the “regular” folks whose names are unfamiliar to me. It is an easy book to read, but a hard one to put down. I found myself reading “just one more story” until I had finished them all. It made me think about what I cherish, why, and what that tells the world about me. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2018 by David S.
    • What's Special about that?
Format: Hardcover
Have you ever thought about why you keep certain things? Is there a memory of a certain time or person that relates you more to this item than something else lurking in your desk drawer for however many years? AFter reading this book I immediately knew which item I had kept and why; and the memories it jostled for me, twisted emotions, heartwarming.thoughts. Read this and you will find that everyone's reasons for keeping things are different, and interesting. Find yours? ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2019 by Dorth
    • People Keep The Weirdest Things For The Weirdest Reasons
Format: Hardcover
Not as interesting as I thought it would be.
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2025 by S. Williams
    • GIFT GIVING = for the hard to buy person
Format: Hardcover
The bomb. This book is the bomb. Could be a gift for a man OR a woman. Interesting, thoughtful, high quality print.
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2018 by Michelle V H

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