Joy Maira Kalman

Maira Kalman will sign her new book JOY at Paper Trail on Saturday, November 7, from 2:30 to 4:30pm. Please join us!

Preorder to reserve your copy!

Maira Kalman's new book is a luminous four-color collection of prose and paintings that reveals how joy—quiet, fleeting, and often overlooked—persists, even in the darkest of times, from the critically acclaimed artist and bestselling author.

In a world marked by grief and uncertainty, Kalman believes that seeking joy brings meaning to life. Kalman invites readers to experience the world through her eyes, opening the mind and senses to find pleasure, humor, and hope in the everyday. Interwoven with these intimate observations are meditations on artists and writers who have transformed pain and sorrow into beauty and triumph, from Beethoven to Kafka to Virginia Woolf.

With her gentle wit and deep insights, Kalman shows us how to be present—and question—the world: to become alert to details and contradictions. She reminds us that even seemingly insignificant moments and memories can become glimmering, restorative bridges to the sublime. Her reflections are accompanied by colorful and expressive art that captures human resilience and celebrates the redemptive power of art and music.