New York Times contributor Priyanka Mattoo joins us to discuss the refreshingly funny and sparklingly astute “How to Be Less Useful: The Joy of Inefficiency.” She’ll be joined in conversation by Godmothers co-founder Jennifer Rudolph Walsh.

Think about what we choose to cut out or overlook as we approach the deep end of adulthood: Dessert. Naps. Pretty underwear. Sweaty dancing. “Pointless” hangs with the people we love most. And then, activities that used to be fun somehow lose their luster, usually in the decade between thirty and forty: summer vacation (exhaustion), stay-in-touch texting (bandwidth), finding the perfect restaurant (the algorithm).

When did our lives become entirely about efficiency and optimization?

Priyanka Mattoo shares her journey toward being less useful, delivering life lessons without an ounce of preachiness or pressure. She looks at where pleasure begins and what it serves. Did you know karaoke can cure a stomachache? Or that Paddington Bear is a stealth lifestyle guru? Or that nobody actually asked you to do that labor-intensive thing you begrudgingly did? With self-deprecating humor, devastating insight, and bracing honesty, Priyanka shows us how to step out of the grind as a friend, as a partner, even as a parent, and welcome joy back into our lives without burning it all down.

What if, instead of being useful, we could all learn how to be happier, lighter, more present, more engaged?

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Please note: Out of respect for our authors and other guests—and to ensure everyone's safety—the front door will be locked 15 minutes after the event starts.

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This is a ticketed event.

TICKET OPTIONS INCLUDE:

// TICKET + BOOK includes one entry + one copy of the book, which will be handed out at check-in the night of the event.

// TICKET ONLY includes one entry.

// OPENING ACT tickets are lower-priced spots for early birds. They’re limited in number, and when they’re gone, they’re gone, so get them while they last.

Additional copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.

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