An Author’s Homecoming

New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author Laura Munson returns to Gorton Center. A native Lake Forester, she’s celebrating the release of her newest book, The Wild Why: Stories and Teachings to Uncover Your Wonder.

A Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper Pick, The Wild Why leans into wonder. Readers praise it for helping uncover an authentic voice and opening the door to beauty and self-expression.

What is Wonder?

Wonder is curiosity and awe combined. It is the instinct we are born with, the urge to ask why, how, and what if. It’s the feeling behind a child’s amazement at a rainbow, and the deeper questions that follow. Wonder is not a luxury; it is essential to how we grow, create, and connect. Yet somewhere along the way, many of us lose touch with it.

In The Wild Why, Laura Munson calls for an end to this quiet crisis of self and invites readers back to what we once knew naturally. Through spirited stories and reflective insights, she shows how to rediscover true self-expression and the wonder that gives it life. This is a book about reclaiming your voice, your curiosity, and your capacity for meaning.

Perfect for fans of Brené Brown’s Daring Greatly, Glennon Doyle’s Untamed, and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, The Wild Why is an inspiring guide for anyone longing to live more creatively and authentically.

“In The Wild Why, Laura Munson invites readers to answer ‘the most powerful and wonder-full question’: ‘What can I create?’ This book is an open-hearted invitation to explore wonder, empathy, intuition, and creativity—and to live a bigger, braver life.”
—Maggie Smith, New York Times bestselling author of You Could Make This Place Beautiful

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