Be Ready When the Luck Happens
I don’t usually get wrapped up in the hype around new books on their pub weeks. I think it’s because I know how it works now — it’s not the best books that get the most hype, it’s the ones that have the most powerful marketers or those manufactured to make the most money.
Usually, I wait until after the hype dies down, see if the book is still interesting to me, and then I choose it, or not. It’s the one area of my life where I’m most patient. I think it’s because there are so many good books in the world so there’s no reason to rush to read something the moment it comes out, right?
But from the moment I heard Ina Garten’s new memoir Be Ready When the Luck Happens was being published last month, I knew I’d have it on my shelf or in my earbuds. It’s not that I’m a huge Barefoot Contessa fan or that I’ve ever been extremely interested in cooking or food shows. (I’m actually not a fan of cooking at all.) Manufactured hype or not, I couldn’t wait.
What made me curious about this book was the title.
A title like Be Ready When the Luck Happens made me guess Ina Garten has been through hard stuff and knows something about hard work paying off. It made me guess she’s experienced some inexplicable magic along the way and has some insight about catching that magic when it happens.
And I was right — It’s a story about overcoming. It’s a story about working hard. It’s a story about catching the magic.
It’s cozy.
It’s delicious.
It’s completely Barefoot Contessa. ⤵
I absolutely loved Be Ready When the Luck Happens. Here’s why —Ina Garten’s childhood wasn’t easy or beautiful, but through a series of small choices and incremental bravery, she created a life that has been completely what she wanted.
She went from a little girl whose father told her she would never amount to anything to a woman who’s now world-famous for her culinary genius and creative contributions.
She went from a young woman dying a slow soul-death as a budget analyst for the federal government to a woman following her heart, finding a passion for good food and culinary creativity, and sharing it with the world.
She dreamed of traveling the world and owning an apartment in Paris, and against all odds, she has traveled the world numerous times and bought an apartment in Paris long ago. She dreamed of living and working in a particular kind of house while in the States, and against all odds, she’s done that numerous times and has been living in her dream home and job for decades.
It’s a big dreamer’s kind of book.
Also, I read this book on audio, and Ina Garten’s voice made me feel like I was leaning in for a big hug from an old friend every time I clicked Play—100% cozy, 100% delicious.
If you want a bookish sample of Ina’s storytelling voice without committing to the memoir just yet, you might be interested in the recent interview she did with Ann Patchett (streaming on Max ~ I’m watching it tonight!) ⤵
It’s perfect for Thanksgiving week (especially if you’re having trouble getting in the mood this time around, like me).
💛
Wherever you are this morning, whatever the upcoming week is looking like in your world, I hope you have people you love around you and a good book or two to offer an adventurous escape from any sticky family situations you find yourself in.
And if you’re one of the many Americans not able to celebrate Thanksgiving this year in the way you had hoped due to irreconcilable differences with family members (I’ve talked to quite a few this week), I’d love to offer a bit of comfort by letting you know this ⤵
1 — You’re not alone. There are loads of us out here.
2 — It won’t always be this way. Things change, always.
3 — It might help to think about where you’ve been on this day in years past and how different things are year to year.
I wrote this little exercise in my journal just this morning, and it went something like this. . .
On this day seven years ago, we were traveling full-time in our little Airstream, and life was good. On this day six years ago, we were reeling, devastated, missing Mom, sunk by grief. On this day five years ago, we were reeling again, devastated again, mixed up in grief anew with a big dream gone sideways and an unexpected cancer diagnosis. On this day four years ago, we were navigating a global pandemic but extremely grateful to be healthy, cozy, and safely celebrating our first Thanksgiving in our brand-new house in our biggest dream location. On this day three years ago, we were having loads of fun at our big family Thanksgiving celebration. On this day the past two years, we were grateful beyond measure, having fun together at home, loving our life. Today, we’re navigating an unexpected turn in our plans, a big unknown for our current adventure, but we’re so grateful to be together, to have more than we need, and to be able to make all of our favorite family meals for our boys. On this day next year, who knows where we’ll be, what we’ll be doing, or who we will have become. My guess is our hard work will pay off and it’ll be something great, something beyond our wildest and best dreams. . .
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If I’ve learned anything from the books I’ve read (and certainly from Ina Garten’s Be Ready When the Luck Happens), it’s this — we create the life we live. Our small, daily choices shape not only how we fill our time but also where we live, what we think and feel, who we are, and who we’re becoming.
That means if you have the resources, wherewithal, and attention span to read this message all the way to the bottom today, you already have everything you need right this very moment to start creating the kind of life you’ve always wanted to live.
I’m doing my best to join you.
💛
Be ready, my dear ~ luck happens,
Celeste
