Garrison Keillor: What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?

The question

What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

The night my daughter was born, New York, December 29, 1997. After she emerged and I held her in the palm of my hand, I walked around Manhattan in a stupor of happiness.

Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, September 2009 source ↗

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Meg Rosoff American novelist

Swimming in the North Sea at midnight, surrounded by phosphorescence.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 November 2013 source ↗

Imelda Staunton English actress and singer

On my wedding day.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 June 2013 source ↗

Danny DeVito American actor, comedian and filmmaker

I have been very fortunate in my life. I have had a lot of happiness. I have a great family and I work a lot, and that's what I like to do.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 January 2013 source ↗

Louis Smith English artistic gymnast

When I was a kid with no responsibilities.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 July 2013 source ↗

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Question Which trait in yourself do you like least? Identity & self

Self-denigration, an old strategy for extorting praise from people. (“I am a terrible person.” “No, you’re a wonderful person and we all love you.”)

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, September 2009 source ↗

Question Who alive today do you admire most, and what draws you to them? Values & belief

My president, a heroic figure—also good- humored, pretty smart, elegant; and if the rest of the world thinks he typifies America, I don’t mind at all.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, September 2009 source ↗

Question What do you fear most? Identity & self

That this is all there is, and there is no more.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, September 2009 source ↗

Question What does happiness look like for you when life is going well? Identity & self

To be wildly, desperately, carelessly, nakedly in love, of course. Crazy, obsessive love: brooding, baying at the moon, writing daily missives to the adored. Who wouldn’t want this? Even though the crash is painful.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 1 September 2009 source ↗

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