“Analyzing data from 79 men and women who wore inconspicuous devices that recorded some of their conversations over the course of four days, researchers from Washington University and the University of Arizona found a correlation between feelings of well-being and the amount of time spent talking every day. Moreover, the more substantive your conversations, the happier you're likely to be. In other words, heart-to-hearts trump small talk. (LA Times, "A lof of happy talk", March 11, 2010, A21.)”

American author, essayist, podcaster, and journalist

Meghan Daum is an American author, essayist, podcaster, and journalist. She is known for her personal essays and commentary, as well as for work that moves between literature, culture, and public life. Her writing often examines identity, independence, family, and the pressures of modern adulthood, using a direct and observant voice. She has built a broad body of work across print and audio, and her name is closely associated with nonfiction that is personal in tone but wide in range.