notes of endless joy

essay collections that reflect on delight, joy, and wonderment. and that inspire readers to do the same!

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created by moski

last updated April, 2026

16 books

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The Universe in Verse: 15 Portals to Wonder through Science & Poetry

Maria Popova

How To Be A Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals

Sy Montgomery

Inciting Joy: Essays

Ross Gay

A Field Guide to Getting Lost

Rebecca Solnit

No Time To Spare: Thinking About What Matters

Ursula K. Le Guin

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures

Sabrina Imbler

For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World

Sasha Sagan

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments

Aimee Nezhukumatathil

The Book of (More) Delights: Essays

Ross Gay

The Book of Delights: Essays

Ross Gay

These Precious Days: Essays

Ann Patchett

Small Wonder

Barbara Kingsolver

One Long River of Song: Notes on Wonder

Brian Doyle

Tiny Beautiful Things

Cheryl Strayed

No Less Strange or Wonderful: Essays

A. Kendra Greene

The Anthropocene Reviewed

John Green

Comments

amanda_the_tangerine

I am here to once again SMASH that mf like button. Yes moski, I do, in fact, want to read essay collections that reflect on delight, joy, and wonderment and that inspire readers to do the same. And in the beginning of spring, too?? What a perfect time to get joyous 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

moskiOP

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Edited

🥺💛 you are the sweetest ever thank you so much amanda!!! spring is very much the season of joy!

fichannie

oh i love this moski 🥺 we can all use a little more joy! 💖

moskiOP

agreed!!!! let’s all practice joy together 🙂‍↕️💛 thank you so much friend!!!

deathprobably

leans into the microphone smash

moskiOP

LMAOOO thank u thank u 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

pachinko

obsessed! i do love a bleak read but considering the state of the world rn these are so so needed

moskiOP

thank you so much! and i agree 🫂💛

displacedcactus

Love this! I'd like to recommend World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. It even has lovely illustrations to amp up the joy.

moskiOP

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Edited

great minds think alike omg i was just going in to add that one! thank you so much for the recommendation!!! i’m so excited to finally read it too - i already love her poetry!!

displacedcactus

I haven't read her poetry yet but I really do like essays written by poets!

moskiOP

me too!!! <3 you’d love it!

displacedcactus

I'll check it out! I'm making an effort to read more poetry this year.

moskiOP

woohoo!! 🥳 we need poetry in times like this!

moss-mylk

LOVE LOVE LPVE LPVE moski i lpve thos thak i

moskiOP

HEHEHE THANK U MOSSY!!

theladybiologist

Omg she’s done it again, another banger list by moski.

moskiOP

TYSM FRIENDDD!!

SkywardStrange

Yet another banger list from our eminent listmaker! I have two recs: How Far The Light Reaches by Sabrina Imbler and For Small Creatures Such As We by Sasha Sagan.