THANKS A THOUSAND!

A.J. Jacobs decided to thank every single person involved in producing his morning cup of coffee. The resulting journey takes him across the globe, transforms his life, and reveals secrets about how gratitude can make us all happier, more generous, and more connected.

AJ realized that his coffee and every other item in our lives would not be possible without hundreds of people we usually take for granted: farmers, chemists, artists, presidents, truckers, mechanics, biologists, miners, smugglers, and goatherds. By thanking these people face to face, Jacobs finds some much-needed brightness in his life. Gratitude does not come naturally to Jacobshis disposition tends on the cranky side -- but he sets off on the journey on a dare from his son. And by the end, it's clear to him that scientific research on gratitude is true. Gratitude's benefits are legion: It improves compassion, heals your body, and helps battle depression.

Along the way, Jacobs provides wonderful insights and useful tips, from how to focus on the hundreds of things that go right every day instead of the few that go wrong. And how to practice the art of "savoring meditation" and fall asleep at night. Thanks a Thousand shows us how much we take for granted in our lives, how we are all connected to each other and it also teaches us how gratitude can make our lives happier, kinder, and more impactful.

A.J. Jacobs is the internationally bestselling author of THE KNOW-IT-ALL, THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY, and DROP DEAD HEALTHY. His next book, IT'S ALL RELATIVE, will be published in Fall 2016. He is the editor at large of Esquire magazine, a contributor to NPR, and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Entertainment Weekly.

His 2014 TED talk "The World's Largest Family Reunion . We're All Invited!" has 988,255 total views and is available in 22 languages