Ross Gay, author of essays on joy, spreads a night of delights at Exile in Bookville

Ross Gay’s readings bring strangers together at Exile in Bookville — an independent bookstore.

Nestled on the second floor of the historic Fine Arts Building at 410 S. Michigan Ave., independent bookstore Exile in Bookville welcomed acclaimed writer Ross Gay to read his work Oct. 12. 

With the soft hum of conversation and the faint scent of worn pages in the air, the charming bookstore created a welcoming space for Gay’s reflections.

His ideas on the power of sharing over owning seemed to fill the room, offering a quiet incitement to embrace community rather than scarcity.

The bookstore had a delightful cluttered feel, with books piled everywhere. The air carried the rich aroma of coffee and old cigars, while soft rock music played in the background, creating a laid-back vibe. 

This warm, intimate atmosphere offered an ideal setting for Gay’s reflections on the beauty of everyday life, connection and joy. His books were displayed and available for attendees to purchase and have signed.

Before the event, Gay was casually browsing the store’s bookshelves. Whispers of awe and delight echoed around the small store — Gay was in the house.

The evening began with Gay sharing an essay, “How Big the Boat” from “Inciting Joy,” a collection of essays exploring how joy can be found even in hardship.

“We often think of joy as a meaning without pain, or without sorrow,” Gay said. “But this definition also suggests that someone might be able to live without — or more accurate phrase is free of — heartbreak or sorrow.”

“How Big the Boat” delves into Gay’s thoughts on artists creating covers and how audiences reinterpret them — each slightly altering the meaning, even though the words remain the same. 

The essay reflected on how everything becomes a cover in some way, with meaning evolving as it gets passed along.

“We are perpetually covering, we are ever citational,” Gay said. “It is called thinking, it is called learning, it is called making, it is called being a creature with, it is our only choice.” 

While reading “How Big the Boat,” Gay paused and asked the crowd to open their phones and watch Luther Vandross’s “A House is Not A Home” live at the NAACP Awards with their neighbor. He used the video to illustrate how different covers and interpretations can convey distinct meanings, showing that by reimagining existing art, it’s possible to create something entirely new.  

The stunt brought the crowd together, sparking connections through the eight-minute video. 

“Our tradition of sharing, to the tradition of owning, is treason,” Gay said. “The cover is a witness or a prayer to abundance. A prayer to the enough already. It is incitement.” 

Following “Inciting Joy,” Gay read two short essays, “How Good It Feels” and “Throwing Children” from “The Book of (More) Delights,” a sequel to his 2022 New York Times bestseller, “The Book of Delights.” 

Gay said he tries to look for delights in every mundane part of life. 

“For me, joy is a serious phenomenon,” Gay said. “It holds different notions and means different things.” 

“The Book of (More) Delights” is a collection of essays which argues gratitude is key to emotional freedom and its absence leads to emotional confinement. 

“To be free of gratitude is to be trapped in misery,” Gay said. 

Gay said he tries to capture the little bits of gratitude in his daily life, even when accompanied by sadness. 

“With joy, we’re trying to carry each other’s sorrow,” Gay said. “With sorrow, we can tend to one another’s grief — that’s joy. Joy is evidence of connection and being part of life. Joy is truly living and feeling your surroundings — the good and the bad. 

Gay sprinkled humor into his soft-spoken yet powerful delivery, inviting the audience into his world — filled with tenderness, community and resilience.

Throughout the evening, Gay kept the audience laughing and engaged, asking questions and inviting them to connect. While discussing “How Big the Boat,” he asked, “Who here listens to Miley Cyrus’s covers?” 

As he shared his personal stories of joy and delight, the crowd responded with their own laughter and reflections. The tight-knit blanket Gay wove created an atmosphere that felt more like a shared conversation than a formal reading.

Gay’s visit to Exile in Bookville highlighted the importance of independent bookstores as spaces where meaningful, creative exchanges can happen. The space was small and chairs were limited, but community was thriving. 

Gay ended his reading by telling the audience to find the delights in the little things — grandiose events won’t necessarily bring the happiness needed, joy is in the mundane. 

“Joy is a practice of our engagement,” Gay said. “There’s joy and gratitude in the simple things of having bad weather, holding the door for someone, asking for directions, receiving a hand while lifting things. The absence of a connection leads to devastation but the acknowledgment and falling into connection is joy.” 

Gay’s collection of essays and poetry are available to read on his website.