1,161 books
—
895 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Happy All the Time” as Want to Read:
Happy All the Time
by
Guido and Vincent are childhood best friends—third cousins, really—living in Cambridge and dreaming about their futures. Guido plans to write poetry while Vincent feels confident he will win a Nobel prize for physics. When Guido spots Holly while exiting a museum, he can immediately sense that she will be difficult, quirky, and hard to live with. He loves her on sight. Vin
...more
Get A Copy
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
May 16th 2000
by Harpperen
(first published September 12th 1978)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Happy All the Time,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Happy All the Time
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Happy All the Time

This is the fourth book I’ve read by the wonderful writer Laurie Colwin, who died tragically young – she was only 48 years old – in 1992. Her work, although a little dated, deserves to be discovered by a new generation.
I see I’ve rated all of her books 4 stars. They’re uniformly modest and lovely, but perhaps not life-changing.
Her fictional subject (she also wrote bestselling books about food) tends to be romance in urban settings among middle- and upper-middle-class people. She cherishes happy ...more
I see I’ve rated all of her books 4 stars. They’re uniformly modest and lovely, but perhaps not life-changing.
Her fictional subject (she also wrote bestselling books about food) tends to be romance in urban settings among middle- and upper-middle-class people. She cherishes happy ...more

Colwin's "project" in this, and the other works of hers I've read, seems to revolve around picking up the story of love where most novelists leave off: she's interested in what happy marriages and established friendships look like. The conflict she's primarily concerned with is the resistance people have to contentment, and their fear of its loss. Happily, the characters struggling with accepting happiness are usually married (literally or figuratively) to characters who have a talent for enjoyi
...more

My experience reading this novel was really strange. When I was a senior in high school, I read a short story called "An Old Fashioned Romance" by Colwin in my AP class. I remember being struck, and a little disappointed, by how bright and optimistic the story was - up to that point, I'd understood stories as ominous and never happy. Then I read her author bio and it said that she graduated from Bard in the 70s and, I of course, was going to attend Bard that summer. Long story short, I was alway
...more

This little novel is, by far, the happiest, most delightful little gem you will ever read. I originally read it in the late 1970's when it was written. I always remembered that I loved it, but had long forgotten the story and its characters. I requested that my library find a copy for me. Luckily, they rounded one up from several counties away! I am smiling like a fool, having just now finished it again. There is no other novel I have ever read, and I believe I have read thousands in 60+ years o
...more

Pure delight! The story of two friends, Guido and Vinent, who live and work in New York City. They find love, marry (Holly and Misty, respectively) and experience the hopes, dreams, anxieties and challenges associated with moving into adulthood. That sounds sort of boring, but this book is anything but. As one reviewer said, this book takes up where most love stories leave off - at the settling in and finding contentment stage. Touching, quirky and funny, it made me happy!!
This is the second ti ...more
This is the second ti ...more

I love beautiful things. I love stories told stylishly. This is a charming, intelligent and superbly witty book about intelligent and stylish characters. I got it through Prime reading, but I’ll probably end up buying it just to make sure I have my own copy available, for whenever I feel like rereading it.
Loved it, pure and simple. First of all, Colwin has the gift or writing about serious deep stuff in a lighthearted manner. She is also a master at describing her characters without judging and ...more
Loved it, pure and simple. First of all, Colwin has the gift or writing about serious deep stuff in a lighthearted manner. She is also a master at describing her characters without judging and ...more

Last month Old school librarian suggested I read HAPPY ALL THE TIME by Laurie Colwin. I had not heard of the book or the author before and was very interested to discover what was in store. Fortunately, my local library had a copy readily available. Originally published back in 1978, HAPPY ALL THE TIME was the third of Colwin's five novels. Along with a few short story and cooking collections, those novels made up the bulk of her writing. It seems strange now that I'd never heard of her before a
...more

When I picked up my copy of Happy All the Time and saw the sad girl peeling pears on the cover, I was like, "Here we go. Time to delve into the depressing inner lives of searching young adults." Having just finished a few Lorrie Moore stories from Birds of America, I was sure that the title of Colwin's novel was ironic.
IT SURE ISN'T!
Two couples meet cute, quip, and live happily ever after. Seriously.
I'm not immune to a charming narrative like this. The conversational wit sparkles on the page w ...more
IT SURE ISN'T!
Two couples meet cute, quip, and live happily ever after. Seriously.
I'm not immune to a charming narrative like this. The conversational wit sparkles on the page w ...more

It's been years since I read this book, but it has stayed with me all this time, and I'm thinking it may be time to re-read it. It's a story about couples who get along and are "happy all the time." Sounds boring, right? That's because our concept of a happy relationship is both one-dimensional and an utter fantasy. These folks argue, have problems and crises . . . and get through them together, with a baseline of respect and affection for each other. Not easy, not Disneyfied, but real. If recen
...more

Sep 11, 2011
Amy
rated it
did not like it
Recommended to Amy by:
Antof9
Shelves:
library-book,
decided-not-to-finish-it
While I could have finished this had I soldiered on, I gave myself permission to abandon it. Life is too short to sludge through books you don't enjoy.
I don't know if it was someone else's comment that this book reminded them of a mix between The Great Gatsby and Breakfast at Tiffany's or just the vagaries of my own mind, but I kept thinking Happy All the Time was set somewhere in the 1920's to 1940's time period. Then, as I was reading, a comment about computers or something would remind me it ...more
I don't know if it was someone else's comment that this book reminded them of a mix between The Great Gatsby and Breakfast at Tiffany's or just the vagaries of my own mind, but I kept thinking Happy All the Time was set somewhere in the 1920's to 1940's time period. Then, as I was reading, a comment about computers or something would remind me it ...more

How is it that I have not reviewed this book before now? For many years, it was a tradition that for the first book of the new year, I would read "Happy All The Time." This story of two couples is so light-filled and nuanced and clever -- I simply take great pleasure in reading it and enjoy being reminded that life can be quite lovely, indeed. Laurie Colwin has a dry (and subtle wicked wit), which is what gives this novel its depth. Yes, the world portrayed in this book is sheltered, but sometim
...more

A thoughtful, surprising, genuine and touching story about four people who fall in love. Guido and Vincent are cousins and best friends. Guido falls for Holly and Vincent falls for Misty. So, not only is romantic love developing but the connected friendships need to develop, too, if they are going to be four pals rather than two friends and their awkwardly tolerated spouses.
What I appreciated about this story is that there are no huge disasters or tragedies. That doesn't mean that the character ...more
What I appreciated about this story is that there are no huge disasters or tragedies. That doesn't mean that the character ...more

There are some writers who are good enough to disregard plot in favor of a collection of quirky characters slinging each other with cute conversation. See also: Laurie Colwin, whose 1978 novel Happy All the Time is simply the story of third cousins tip-toeing from bachelorhood to couplehood and the difficult targets who change everything they believe to be true about women. What, in theory, could reek of a banter-y rom-com with a “Gilmore Girls” preciousness is smart and lively and potentially s
...more

This book stressed me out.
The writing is SO beautiful. The dialogue is delightful. The characters and relationships are fascinating, despite their privilege and superfluity.
But that's what stressed me out: the privilege and superfluity. While this book is gorgeous...it's a book for middle to upper class white people. The characters have no real hardships beyond figuring out how to be in love. I finished the final page, closed the book, and stated aloud in shock: Wait. They literally were happy. ...more
The writing is SO beautiful. The dialogue is delightful. The characters and relationships are fascinating, despite their privilege and superfluity.
But that's what stressed me out: the privilege and superfluity. While this book is gorgeous...it's a book for middle to upper class white people. The characters have no real hardships beyond figuring out how to be in love. I finished the final page, closed the book, and stated aloud in shock: Wait. They literally were happy. ...more

If Laurie Colwin was actually her own image of Misty, then I'm sadder than ever that she's dead.
I can see people with a fierce desire for "plot" and "story" having a hard time with this, but the writing itself is so swift and good that I personally don't care. The point is not to complete some grand story; the point is that the story ("story") is continual and pervasive, happening and happening and happening. In some ways, this reads like a theatrical piece, with characters grouped into pairs or ...more
I can see people with a fierce desire for "plot" and "story" having a hard time with this, but the writing itself is so swift and good that I personally don't care. The point is not to complete some grand story; the point is that the story ("story") is continual and pervasive, happening and happening and happening. In some ways, this reads like a theatrical piece, with characters grouped into pairs or ...more

This is the book that Jane Austen would have written if she had lived in NYC in the 1970's. Having said that, if you had described it that way to me before I read it, I would have thought that I would love it. Not so much...
This reminded me a bit of When Harry Met Sally... but not nearly as entertaining. It's certainly well written, but there's just something about it that left me bored and really not interested in these characters. As someone else on GR put it, I felt like I really couldn't rel ...more
This reminded me a bit of When Harry Met Sally... but not nearly as entertaining. It's certainly well written, but there's just something about it that left me bored and really not interested in these characters. As someone else on GR put it, I felt like I really couldn't rel ...more

I first read this book a few months after I had a stillborn baby and was struggling with depression and the grief. The title of the book drew me in because I was so desperately unhappy at the time. I loved this book and the fact of my introduction to Laurie Colwin. I devoured each of her books as they were published, including Home Cooking. My favorite is probably Shine On Bright And Dangerous Object. I remember specifically where I was when I learned she had died. I felt like I had just lost a
...more

I'm clearly in the minority here, but I found the women in this novel to be awful, and there was nothing "happy" about it.
I will marry you, but never actually say "I love you" or any such drivel. But my hair is always perfectly trimmed, and I'm also an excellent cook.
And I will marry you, but I must warn you that tragedy befalls me at every corner. Life is terrible.
And they lived happily ever after?! ...more
I will marry you, but never actually say "I love you" or any such drivel. But my hair is always perfectly trimmed, and I'm also an excellent cook.
And I will marry you, but I must warn you that tragedy befalls me at every corner. Life is terrible.
And they lived happily ever after?! ...more

Utterly brilliant; a joy from first page to last. What a genius Laurie Colwin was to write a book about four people falling in love and just being happy (no big dramas here) and to make that not only compelling but full of wisdom and wit. The comparisons to Jane Austen are both apt and wholly deserved.

This book is funny in a grown-up way. I can't decide if I should cheer or die of envy.
...more

Nov 22, 2019
Nichole
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
new-york-new-york,
love-and-romance
Only 2 stars for my first Laurie Colwin book
I opened Happy All the Time with a huge sense of expectancy. The late Laurie Colwin was acclaimed for her smart and quirky domestic fiction. I looked forward to her writing.
Laurie Colwin's phrases really captured the warm minutiae of family life, of life itself, and I enjoyed highlighting those passages. Her style was clever and eccentric. Witty. In spite of those positives, however, something vital was missing. The storytelling was dry and detached; ...more
I opened Happy All the Time with a huge sense of expectancy. The late Laurie Colwin was acclaimed for her smart and quirky domestic fiction. I looked forward to her writing.
Laurie Colwin's phrases really captured the warm minutiae of family life, of life itself, and I enjoyed highlighting those passages. Her style was clever and eccentric. Witty. In spite of those positives, however, something vital was missing. The storytelling was dry and detached; ...more

This is a story about two friends - who also happen to be third cousins - and the women they marry. This was relatively enjoyable to read but I really think this book would be best as a book club pick. It lends itself to discussion about marriage and relationships and the ways we know and don't know the people we're closest to. I liked that this book was literary and still happy. I feel like much of the family/relationship-focused literary fiction that has come out in the past few years is based
...more

Dec 13, 2012
Nancy McKibben
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
readers who love a smart novel written by a smart, generous writer
Recommended to Nancy by:
after I read a book of her short stories, I sought out and read all her novels
Happy All the Time
By Laurie Colwin
I love Laurie Colwin. I suppose it’s more accurate to say that I love her books, but she is one of those authors whom you feel you know through her books, especially as she wrote several books of food essays as well as five novels and two books of short stories. Unhappily, she died in 1992 when she was only in her early forties, and the tributes written by her readers (you can find them on the web) show how greatly she is missed.
Happy All the Time begins like th ...more
By Laurie Colwin
I love Laurie Colwin. I suppose it’s more accurate to say that I love her books, but she is one of those authors whom you feel you know through her books, especially as she wrote several books of food essays as well as five novels and two books of short stories. Unhappily, she died in 1992 when she was only in her early forties, and the tributes written by her readers (you can find them on the web) show how greatly she is missed.
Happy All the Time begins like th ...more

This may not be a great book, but it is a great read. I know what's less than perfect about it (and I will get to that) but it was so much fun that I could not put it down.
It's interesting that the few goodreads.com reviews I checked wanted to compare this book to someone else's work or some other genre. But none made the same comparison. That's a tribute to the distinctiveness of Colwin's writing.
To me, this reads like a British comedy of manners, but in a very American way. (You don't find a l ...more
It's interesting that the few goodreads.com reviews I checked wanted to compare this book to someone else's work or some other genre. But none made the same comparison. That's a tribute to the distinctiveness of Colwin's writing.
To me, this reads like a British comedy of manners, but in a very American way. (You don't find a l ...more

Man, I gotta start keeping track of where I even hear about the books I put on my "to-read" list. Who the heck recommended Laurie Colwin to me? I loved this. I mean, look, it's basically a book about two well-to-do educated white NY couples in maybe the early 70s, so if you feel like you've read enough books about people in that demographic you can skip this one. Once I got past that I just truly enjoyed how straightforward and funny the writing is, plus the four main characters are nicely compl
...more

I feel almost embarrassed giving this book 5 stars. If someone asked me why I loved it so much and if they then read it based on my recommendation, they would think I am a fool. Well, at least that is certain: that I am a fool for matters of the heart.
How did I stumble upon Happy All the Time , you ask? Well, Ann Hood wrote Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love, and Food to which she likened Colwin's writing to something that is associated with comfort. Having finished this book -- my first venture ...more
How did I stumble upon Happy All the Time , you ask? Well, Ann Hood wrote Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love, and Food to which she likened Colwin's writing to something that is associated with comfort. Having finished this book -- my first venture ...more

This book about "modern" relationships has been hovering on the edge of my consciousness since 1978 and I'm really glad that I finally got around to reading it. It is a wonderful story about two unlikely couples and all the ways they have to navigate the perils of love and marriage in the latter half of the 20th century when gender roles were changing rapidly.
It is full of quotable passages and one of my favorites was this one (spoken by an extremely prickly person): "She sat reflecting on the ...more
It is full of quotable passages and one of my favorites was this one (spoken by an extremely prickly person): "She sat reflecting on the ...more

Pleasant read with some laugh out loud funny moments.
I interpreted Happy All the Time as an illustration of how men struggled to communicate and deal with women as women gained financial, social, and cultural independence during the 1960s and 70s in the United States. The men in this book, well-meaning, intelligent though they were, still struggled to adapt to the changing mores brought on by the rising tide of feminism. Both Vincent and Guido agonize over their respective love interests. Neith ...more
I interpreted Happy All the Time as an illustration of how men struggled to communicate and deal with women as women gained financial, social, and cultural independence during the 1960s and 70s in the United States. The men in this book, well-meaning, intelligent though they were, still struggled to adapt to the changing mores brought on by the rising tide of feminism. Both Vincent and Guido agonize over their respective love interests. Neith ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Goodreads Librari...: Book Cover | 2 | 13 | Jun 11, 2018 05:59PM |
Laurie Colwin is the author of five novels: Happy All the Time, Family Happiness, Goodbye Without Leaving, Shine On, Bright and Dangerous Object, and A Big Storm Knocked It Over; three collections of short stories: Passion and Affect, Another Marvelous Thing, and The Lone Pilgrim; and two collections of essays: Home Cooking and More Home Cooking. She died in 1992.
News & Interviews
Die-hard mystery fans are always on the hunt for their next supremely satisfying whodunit. To help you stock that Want to Read shelf, we asked...
40 likes · 21 comments
1 trivia question
More quizzes & trivia...
“Marriage, it turned out, was a series of small events.”
—
3 likes
“Holly sat down, as if at home. But, Guido wondered, would she be happy where there were no trays?”
—
1 likes
More quotes…