Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
That Sounds Fun summary
Annie F. Downs
The Joys of Being an Amateur, the Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need a Hobby
17 mins
Brief summary
That Sounds Fun by Annie F. Downs is a book that explores the importance of playfulness and joy in our lives. It encourages readers to embrace the fun moments in everyday activities, and offers practical advice for cultivating a more joyful mindset.
Table of Contents
That Sounds Fun
Summary of 5 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 5
We can still enjoy simple pleasures, even when our lives have shrunken.
What’s your idea of fun? The author asks all her guests this question on her weekly podcast That Sounds Fun. But the answers she gets vary.
Most people answer by talking about vacations they’d like to take, or special meals they want to savor. But sometimes, instead of naming something big, a guest says their idea of fun is something small; like eating fried food or reading a particular book. These are the answers the author finds particularly interesting.
In the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic, all of us have had to make our lives smaller. We haven't been able to do much of what we'd usually describe as fun. And yet, we still crave it; our hunger for joy hasn’t gone away. What we really need in these times is low-key fun.
The key message here is: We can still enjoy simple pleasures, even when our lives have shrunken.
Fun doesn’t need to be a big flashy activity with bells and whistles on. Fun, in its purest sense, is actually simplicity. It’s a feeling of having a clear and empty mind with nothing to worry about and no responsibilities to weigh you down.
Not convinced by this definition? Then think about your childhood, and try to remember what fun meant to you back then. When the author does this, she remembers sitting with her mother and grandmother on the front porch of their farm in Georgia. She remembers how these three generations of women would snap beans and talk, slowly but surely, until the sun went down.
Today, the author is a forty-something professional with a busy job and a packed schedule. But only now does she truly appreciate the transcendent simplicity of those evenings. Thinking back to this golden time of childhood, when she had nothing on her mind except snapping the next bean, she knows it was the closest she’s ever come to experiencing that perfect paradise that her Bible talks about: the Garden of Eden, where there was no sin or shame, just boundless love.
Looking at the world now, she’s pretty sure we’re about as far away from the Garden of Eden as we could get. And yet, in moments of pure simplicity and absent-mindedness, we can still glimpse it. Whether we’re snapping beans on a Georgia porch, or getting lost in a book, or joking around with a friend, for a fleeting moment we can feel like we’re there. And it's in these fleeting glimpses that real fun lives.
Want to see all full key ideas from That Sounds Fun?
Key ideas in That Sounds Fun
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is That Sounds Fun about?
That Sounds Fun (2021) explores how we can bring more joy into our everyday lives. It outlines the spiritual benefits of simple pleasures and reveals how love and fun can counterbalance our pains and disappointments.
That Sounds Fun Review
That Sounds Fun by Annie F. Downs (2021) takes readers on a delightful journey of discovering joy and finding fun in everyday life. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- With honest, relatable stories and insights, it encourages readers to embrace the beauty of simple pleasures and the adventures that await in our daily routines.
- Through engaging personal experiences and practical suggestions, the book inspires readers to cultivate a mindset of gratitude and seek out moments of joy.
- Its uplifting perspective and infectious enthusiasm bring a refreshing twist to self-help literature, making it a captivating and enjoyable read.
Who should read That Sounds Fun?
- Spiritual souls looking for a new connection
- Anyone seeking more fun in their lives
- Listeners of the That Sounds Fun podcast
Categories with That Sounds Fun
Book summaries like That Sounds Fun
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
36 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
That Sounds Fun FAQs
What is the main message of That Sounds Fun?
The main message of That Sounds Fun is to embrace joy and find fulfillment in the simple pleasures of life.
How long does it take to read That Sounds Fun?
The reading time for That Sounds Fun varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is That Sounds Fun a good book? Is it worth reading?
That Sounds Fun is a delightful read that offers an uplifting perspective on life. Definitely worth the read!
Who is the author of That Sounds Fun?
The author of That Sounds Fun is Annie F. Downs.
What to read after That Sounds Fun?
If you're wondering what to read next after That Sounds Fun, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Power of Fun by Catherine Price
- Things No One Else Can Teach Us by Humble the Poet
- Humor, Seriously by Jennifer Aaker & Naomi Bagdonas
- I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel
- Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn
- Quirkology by Richard Wiseman
- 7 Rules of Self-Reliance by Maha Abouelenein
- Agile Selling by Jill Konrath
- The Humor Habit by Paul Osincup
- Liminal Thinking by Dave Gray