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Most books tell us how to live our lives. This one takes on Where.
We know that our inner lives are shaped by our physical surroundings, and vice versa. But we’ve been distracted from the most important elements of the dynamic relationship between our spaces and us. In a Good Place clarifies: before considering paint colors, office layouts, and square footage, we must first ask whether we matter and belong. Those are basic human needs, and how we attend to our spaces either feeds or starves them—now more than ever.
Once we understand these needs, we find that aligning our spaces with them is something we all can do right away at home, at the office, and everywhere else. No need to renovate or hire a designer, we can change how we perceive the spaces we’re already in, move among the spaces to which we have access, and make the exact same spaces more comfortable just by staying and being. You’ll rethink how and when you show up for meetings, unlock new options for your kid’s next birthday party, and turn that forgotten back patio into the best spot in the house.
Leidy Klotz’s latest opens up an entirely new application of behavioral science, to our physical world, connecting across scientific disciplines, drawing on philosophy and history and reason, and bringing the ideas to life through relatable common experiences and the saddest personal one. This poignant and empowering book will help you find more good places ‘out there’ and ‘in here,’ too.
Early praise:
“Must Read” — Next Big Idea Club
“An indispensable guide.” — Psychology Today
“Like his modern classic, Subtract, every page is infected with Leidy’s warm, clear, and instructive writing voice.” — Bob Sutton, NYT bestselling author of The Friction Project and The No Asshole Rule
“Insightful, deeply moving, and beautifully written.” — Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice and Choose Wisely.
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“Leidy Klotz provides a fascinating exploration of an overlooked idea: The spaces in which you live and work really matter! I came away bursting with new ideas about improving the spaces in my own life.”
—Cal Newport, New York Times bestselling author of Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, and Slow Productivity
“In a Good Place changes how you see the rooms, streets, and shared spaces of your life, and what they make possible. Blending rigorous science with lived experience, Leidy Klotz creates a clear, generous guide to shaping spaces that support us in living well.
—Ingrid Fetell Lee, Author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness; founder of The Aesthetics of Joy
“Our ancestors read landscapes for survival. Now we scroll through phones in climate-controlled rooms and wonder why we’re anxious. In a Good Place gives us the tools to reconnect with our physical world. With science, clarity, and practical wisdom, Leidy Klotz reveals territory no one else has explored. This is a genuinely original and important book.”
—Michael Easter, New York Times bestselling author of The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain; author of the Two Percent newsletter
“I loved this book from the very first page. Its powerful insights into how the spaces we inhabit shape our well-being and sense of belonging offer a fresh new perspective for leaders and educators alike. Combining research with practical advice, Leidy Klotz makes the invisible influence of our environments accessible and actionable. For anyone who wants to create spaces where people can truly thrive, In a Good Place is the perfect guide.”
—Amy C. Edmondson, author of Right Kind of Wrong and The Fearless Organization; Novartis Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School
The Latest from Leidy's Substack:
Tips from In a Good Place: Create Spaces That Outlast You
In which every screen porch reminds me of my grandmother
Open in SubstackTips from In a Good Place: Cultivate Nostalgia
In which a mark on the wall becomes a portal
Open in SubstackTips from In a Good Place: Make Visible Changes
In which a curb becomes a statement
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