The Little Book of Kitchen Table Wisdom – Introduction
In 1996 when Kitchen Table Wisdom was first published, I never dreamed this book of true stories would become important to so many people. It has now been translated into thirteen languages, and people all over the world have written to say it has eased their loneliness, reminded them of their worth, or helped them find strength and courage right at the center of their personal storm.
People have told me that they have read Kitchen Table Wisdom to each other in bed and kept it on their nightstands, or carried it on treks in the Himalayas, or taken it with them into surgery or radiation. They have given it to people who matter to them: their neighbors, their friends, their doctors, and their children. They have woven its stories into weddings and sermons and celebrations of all kinds. They have underlined and tabbed and cut out pages to carry in their hearts and their lives.
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Kitchen Table Wisdom, I have chosen a hundred or so thoughts (and a few of the shortest stories) from its pages, and made this little book for you. I sincerely hope it will be like an old friend—maybe a little worn down around the edges, maybe a coffee stain or two—but always there to remind you about what really matters in life.
—Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.
Mill Valley, California
Spring 2006
