VL
When my daughter, Virginia, was born, in 1946.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 December 2009 source ↗
The question
When were you happiest?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.
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Others on this question
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Zoë Heller
English journalist and novelist
Sending off the final draft of my latest novel.
Trevor McDonald
British newsreader and journalist
As a young child in the West Indies and having fun with my friends, playing sport and hanging about.
Jeanette Winterson
Novelist and essayist
Happiness is planting the vegetables, sleeping with my girlfriend, running, doing my work, sitting by the fire with a book and a glass of wine... I need a reason to be unhappy, but do not need one to be quietly cheerful.
Every morning when I go into our three-year-old’s room. He’s so happy to see you, it’s a moment of heaven.
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