What if all the advice we’ve received about “looking on the bright side” is wrong? What if sadness is actually the key to happiness, and can even be . . . fun?
A Pity Party is Still a Party: A Feel-Good Guide to Feeling Bad, by Chelsea Harvey Garner, is this year’s UConn Reads selection. Playful, at times irreverent, but always sincere; Garner is the grown-up Miss Frizzle for the therapy generation. She believes that if we want to build a world where mental health is the norm, we have to lean into connection and count on each other, even—and perhaps especially—at our worst.
To prepare for the signature event, libraries on each campus will be teaming up with Student Health and Wellness, taking advice from the book, and having their own Pity Parties.
Avery Point Library - March 24, 12:15-1:15
Hartford Library - March 25, 11am-1pm
Stamford Library - March 25, 12:15-1:15pm
Waterbury Library - March 25, 12-3pm
Homer Babbidge Library - March 26, 12-2pm
The signature event will follow:
Be The Cringe You Wish To See
with Chelsea Harvey Garner, author of
A Pity Party is Still a Party: A Feel-Good Guide to Feeling Bad
Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 4:30-6:00pm (virtual only)
In this intimate, accessible talk for readers and the public, we’ll dig into our collective struggle with shame and self-doubt, illustrating how these cycles keep us isolated in our darkest hour. We’ll draw from personal anecdotes and mental health research to outline the power of embracing embarrassment and how, by leaning into the cringe, we can not only turn pain into purpose but find true belonging with ourselves and our people. Featuring audience Q&A segment.
For more information, including the link to the author talk, check out uconnreads.uconn.edu.
This year’s UConn Reads is sponsored by the Provost's Office, UConn Library, Dean of Students, Student Activities, and Student Health & Wellness.
For more information, contact: Jean Cardinale at jean.cardinale@uconn.edu