Life and Meaning
alumni books
EMILY ESFAHANI SMITH ’09
AUTHOR EMILY ESFAHANI SMITH TAKES FIVE QUESTIONS.
What sparked the idea for this book?
I grew up in a Sufi meetinghouse surrounded by seekers striving to lead meaningful lives. Twice a week the Sufis came to our home to meditate. They practiced loving kindness and service to all—and were generally very humble people. As I grew older, I wanted to understand more deeply what it meant to lead a meaningful life, so in college and graduate school I studied philosophy and psychology. The book began to take shape when I learned of the new psychology research distinguishing a happy life from a meaningful life. It made me realize that our culture is so obsessed with happiness, and yet what most people want is to lead lives of meaning, regardless of whether they feel happy at the end of the day.
What were you hoping to provide to readers?
I wanted people to see that no matter who you are or what you do, you can lead a meaningful life.
The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters CROWN 304 PP. $28
What was some of the more surprising research you found?
There’s a myth in our culture that the search for meaning is some esoteric pursuit—that you have to travel to a distant monastery or page through dusty volumes to figure out life’s great secret. Actually, there are untapped sources of meaning all around us. We can find belonging in a brief connection with a barista or a newspaper vendor. We can find purpose by helping a colleague at work or our children with their assignments. We need to bring meaning down to earth.
Does one’s search for meaning have any new, particular context in our post-election America?
After this polarizing and bitter election, I think we need to go out of our way to open our hearts to others, and to build belonging with them, especially with people outside our in-group—to help everyone feel valued and respected, regardless of whom they voted for.
Did any Dartmouth professors influence the writing of this book?
Professor Marlene Heck helped me understand the role that beauty, awe and transcendence play in a meaningful life. Many conversations with Russell Muirhead influenced parts of this book. I took a fabulous class with Roger Ulrich on classical mythology, which forced me to reflect on why myths are such powerful builders of meaning. And professor emeritus Jeffrey Hart is in this book in many ways—he was a mentor throughout my years on campus, and he helped me think more deeply about the role the humanities play in the search for meaning. —Sean Plottner
For an excerpt from The Power of Meaning, go to our website.
EDITOR’S PICKS
NEVILLE D. FRANKEL ’71 On the Sickle’s Edge Dialogos Books Drawing on his own experiences as an immigrant from Johannesburg, South Africa, Frankel explores issues of shifting identities as he follows seven generations through some of the most tumultuous events of the 20th century. Part historical drama and part political thriller, the novel is a prequel to his 2013 book, Bloodlines.
RICK BEYER ’78 Rivals Unto Death Hachette Books Beyer recounts the 30 years of mounting tension between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr—from the fields of the American Revolution to a presidential election—that climaxed in the most notorious duel in American history.
BRAD PARKS ’96 Say Nothing Dutton In a departure from his award-winning Carter Ross Mysteries series, the former journalist offers up a stand-alone thriller about a judge whose children are held ransom pending a court decision. “Parks dispenses plot twists with a poisoned eyedropper,” says Kirkus in a starred review.
MARCIA ZUG ’00 Buying a Bride NYU Press Beginning with the first mail order brides in 1619, University of South Carolina law professor Zug maps out the evolution and legal issues of sending for a spouse by post. The practice, she argues, isn’t all bad: It offers women the opportunity to improve their legal, political and social freedoms.
HANNAH FRIES ’04 Little Terrarium Hedgerow Books The former Orion poetry editor releases her first collected volume of poetry. Most of the poems focus on the natural world, as in the title poem, which explores the parallels between the body that holds the soul and the world that holds all creatures, from the complexity of human consciousness to the five pulsing hearts of nightcrawlers.
Find additional alumni books at dartmouthatumnimagazine.com.
