INTRODUCED BY PHILIP HENSHER 'Elizabeth Taylor is finally being recognised as an important British author: an author of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth. As a reader, I have found huge pleasure in returning to Taylor's novels and short stories many times over. As a writer I've returned to her too - in awe of her achievements, and trying to work out how she does it' SARAH WATERS A brilliant novel about the damage caused by relentless 'niceness'. Uncritical, encouraging, 'the soul of kindness', Flora's help is the cruelest hindrance to those who love her most. 'Here I am!' Flora called to Richard as she went downstairs. For a second, Meg felt disloyalty. It occurred to her of a sudden that Flora was always saying that, and that it was in the tone of one giving a lovely present. Elegant, blonde and beautiful, Flora has everything under control: her perfect home, her husband Richard, her friend Meg, adoring Kit, and the writer Patrick. Flora entrances everyone, dangling visions of happiness and success before their spellbound eyes. All are bewitched by this golden tyrant. Except, that is, for the clear-eyed painter, Liz, who can see that Flora's kindness is the sweetest poison of them all.

The best way to make yourself feel great? Do a random act of kindness for someone! These 101 stories will make you smile and get you excited about what you can do, too. Make miracles happen for yourself and others. It’s easy. Just think outside the box and look around. There are so many ways that you can help—and it turns out the biggest beneficiary may be you! Scientific studies have shown that “doing good” is not only good for the recipient of the good deed, but also for the person doing it, making that person happier and healthier. So dive into these 101 stories of kindness, from the everyday to the extraordinary. If you need some help, you’ll find hope in these pages. And if you can give help, you’ll feel energized and inspired to find your own opportunities to perform random acts of kindess—every day!

Random Acts of Kindness ─ Inspirational Stories Make a commitment to spread kindness wherever you go. Being kind doesn't cost anything, but it can mean the world to those around you. What if all of a sudden everyone started performing daily good deeds? This inspiring collection presents true stories of people who've committed, received, and observed voluntary acts of kindness. Hearing their stories reveals how these simple, small acts of goodness can have a profoundly positive effect in the world. The true stories, thoughtful quotations, and suggestions for generosity in this book will inspire you to live more compassionately and be a kinder person. Join the kindness movement. In 1995, a small group of people at Conari Press, including M.J. Ryan, Will Glennon, and Dawna Markova, came together around the idea that small gestures and simple acts can make a difference in people's lives. Thus, Random Acts of Kindness was born, but they had no idea how big this little idea would become. Soon, instead of the usual two or three letters from readers, they were getting bags of mail from readers submitting their own acts of kindness and stories of compassion. Now, twenty-five years later, over one million copies have been sold and it is a worldwide movement, with National Random Acts of Kindness Week, celebrated each February. An inspirational gift of kind words. Sometimes the smallest gesture makes the biggest difference. This little book shows how to start —with the small, with the particular, with the individual —in order to make a difference in the world. It features: True stories about acts of kindness and generosity of spirit Suggestions for living more compassionately Inspirational quotes to get you started Readers of motivational books and stories like Chicken Soup for the Soul: Random Acts of Kindness, A Pebble for Your Thoughts, I've Been Thinking..., or You Can Do All Things will love the encouraging, inspirational stories in Random Acts of Kindness.

A New York Times Bestseller For Lady Gaga, kindness is the driving force behind everything she says and does. The quiet power of kindness can change the way we view one another, our communities, and even ourselves. She embodies this mission, and through her work, brings more kindness into our world every single day. Lady Gaga has always believed in the importance of being yourself, being kind to yourself, and being kind to others, no matter who they are or where they come from. With that sentiment in mind, she and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, founded Born This Way Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the world a kinder and braver place. Through the years, they've collected stories of kindness, bravery and resilience from young people all over the world, proving that kindness truly is the universal language. And now, we invite you to read these stories and follow along as each and every young author finds their voice just as Lady Gaga has found hers. Within these pages, you’ll meet young changemakers who found their inner strength, who prevailed in the face of bullies, who started their own social movements, who decided to break through the mental health stigma and share how they felt, who created safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, and who have embraced kindness with every fiber of their being by helping others without the expectation of anything in return. In one story, you’ll read about a young person with an autoimmune disease, who after being bullied at school, learned how to practice self-love and started an organization with the mission of educating others about the importance of self-love, too; and in another story, you’ll meet a young person who decided to start a movement to help eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and encouraged others to talk about their feelings openly and honestly, a reminder that kindness and mental wellness go hand in hand. Not only were we moved by these individual acts of kindness, but we were also touched by the many stories of organizations, neighborhoods, and entire communities that fully dedicated themselves to helping those in need and found new, innovative ways to make our world a kinder and braver place. Individually and collectively, these stories prove that kindness not only saves lives but builds community. Kindness is inclusion, it is pride, it is empathy, it is compassion, it is self-respect and it is the guiding light to love. Kindness is always transformational, and its never-ending ripples result in even more kind acts that can change our lives, our communities, and our world.

“A moving novel” of a family’s struggle with trauma written in “clear prose” that lends “a luminous quality to [a] story of thriving against the odds”(People magazine). Sarah Laden, a young widow and mother of two, struggles to keep her family together. Since the death of her husband, her teenage son, Nate, has developed a rebellious streak. Her kindhearted younger son, Danny, struggles to pass his remedial classes. All the while, Sarah must make ends meet by running a catering business out of her home. But when a shocking and unbelievable revelation rips apart the family of her closest friend, Sarah finds herself welcoming yet another young boy into her already tumultuous life. Jordan, a quiet and reclusive elementary-school boy and classmate of Danny's, has survived a terrible tragedy, leaving him without a family. When Sarah becomes Jordan's foster mother, a relationship develops that will force her to question the things of which she thought she was so sure. Yet Sarah is not the only one changed by this young boy, and as the delicate balance that holds her family together begins to falter, the Ladens will all face truths about themselves and one another—and discover the power of love to forgive and to heal. Powerful and poignant, The Kindness of Strangers is a shocking look at how the tragedy of a single family in a small suburban town can affect so many. Katrina Kittle has created a haunting vision of the secret lives of the people we think we know best, and with heartrending storytelling, reveals that redemption is always possible. “Kittle crafts a disturbing but compelling story line. . . . [A] gripping read.” —Publishers Weekly “Utterly compelling. . . . [A] heartbreaking story.” —Kirkus Reviews

FERRUCCI/POWER OF KINDNESS

A therapist explains true kindness as opposed to mere niceness and explores its power and benefits, describing ways to integrate kindness as the response of choice. Included are techniques for developing the ability to empathize with others and strategies for being kind to oneself.

'A random act of kindness needn't always be a material offering. Even a word of encouragement, a compliment, a helping hand can be equally, if not more, profound. Make such acts a habit and Nature will reciprocate in kind.'In his latest book, bestselling author Om Swami suggests a definitive means to achieving true happiness: through kindness. In his signature candid style, he clarifies that the only way one can be successful in the quest to achieve happiness for oneself is to first spread happiness and show kindness to others. With real, inspiring, life-changing anecdotes, Om Swami goes on to illustrate how compassion and gentleness are intrinsically connected with humanity. The Book of Kindness will help you understand, practice and master kindness, the key to inner bliss and fulfilment, and the only means to attain the happiness that you seek.

A woman who is the "soul of kindness" unwittingly brings destruction and chaos into the lives of those close to her.

"Make miracles happen for yourself and others. It's easy. Just open your mind and your heart. There are so many ways that you can help--and it turns out the biggest beneficiary may be you! Scientific studies have shown that "doing good" is not only good for the recipient of the good deed, but also for the person doing it, making that person happier and healthier. So dive into these 101 stories of kindness, from the everyday to the extraordinary. If you need some help, you'll find hope in these pages. And if you can give help, you'll feel energized and inspired to find your own opportunities to perform random acts of kindness--every day!"--