BROOKLYN, New York – In her new book releasing on June 4, 2024, acclaimed writer and comedian Claire Berger is asking out loud the question you’ve been silently pondering for years, “How Much Is Enough?”
Claire wrote this book to start a long overdue conversation. Her innovative mashup of memoir and self-help genres invites readers to join her in the search of “enough” in all aspects of our lives. Health, money, family, success, food and sex are just a smattering of the topics up for discussion in a touching, highly relatable, often hilarious conversation that features thought-provoking questions and creative prompts for deeper personal reflection. Readers will leave with a renewed appreciation for all that they are and all that they have, which is often more than enough.
Early Praise for “How Much Is Enough?”
“As Claire asks and answers her book’s thematic question, How Much Is Enough?, I couldn’t help but examine my own—what is enough travel, childhood, friendship and work. As always, I look to Claire and am pulled to her gentle, steady example. Claire, thank you for writing this book!”
–Jennifer Garner, actor, activist and entrepreneur
“How Much is Enough?, Claire’s Berger’s poignant and sassy book crackles with wit and smarts. It’s a blend of deeply personal stories and provocative questions that will make you think, reflect and maybe even spit-take!”
–Nancy Giles, commentator, CBS Sunday Morning
“In a world where we are encouraged to want more, buy more, and be more, How Much is Enough? is a wonderful exploration into what truly fills us up. If you want to get to the place where you can say “I am enough, I do enough, I have enough”
you’ve just got to read this book.”
–Peggy Klaus, author of the New York Times bestseller, “BRAG! How to Toot Your Horn Without Blowing It”
“How Much is Enough?: Getting More By Living With Less”
Claire Berger | June 4, 2024 | DartFrog Books | Memoir / Self-Help
Paperback | ISBN 978-1-961624-467 | $17.95
E-Book | ISBN 978-1-961624-474 | $5.99
Audiobook | ISBN 978-1-961624-481 | $19.56
About Claire Berger
For over four decades, Claire Berger has been earning a living as a comedian, improv actor and writer. She began her career in Chicago with The Second City and in local comedy clubs. She found big laughs in Los Angeles, earning acclaim as a warm-up comedian on over 65 of your favorite sitcoms, including Seinfeld, Murphy Brown and Mad About You. Claire was the first comedian HGTV hired to host a series (Fantasy Open House).
Transitioning from the sitcom soundstages to the corporate boardrooms, Claire helped businesses have fun while getting the job done with her memorable, bespoke events and her book “Funny Works: 52 Ways To Have More Fun at Work, 52 Ways To Have More Fun In Life.”
Claire finds humor in unlikely places, including Italian kitchens where she served as resident writer, ambassador and cookbook contributor for two popular culinary immersion programs, Tuscan Women Cook and Italian Culinary Adventures.
Claire began writing “How Much Is Enough?” (June 4, 2024, DartFrog Books), her interactive memoir, to give voice to the ever-present conversation we’ve all been having in our heads. How much is enough… Exercise? Religion? Sex? Shoes? Family? Food? Through 22 engaging chapters, readers are invited to explore this universal conversation. Find out more about her at www.claireberger.com.
Follow Claire Berger on social media:
Facebook | Instagram: @4claireb | Threads: @4claireb
In an interview, Claire Berger can discuss:
- Questioning “enough:” The concept of “enough” and exploring profound questions about various aspects of life, such as social connections, material possessions, financial stability and defining success on your own terms.
- Personal reinvention: The origins of the idea for “How Much Is Enough?” including a pandemic-era decision to move across the country from Los Angeles to Brooklyn to completely reinvent her life in her 60s. And how this decision speaks to the courage and resilience it takes to embrace change.
- Humor as a coping strategy: The role of humor in navigating life’s challenges.
- Courageous storytelling: Her willingness to share difficult aspects of her life, such as divorce, health challenges and family issues.
- Balancing personal fulfillment and societal expectations: How she stayed true to herself throughout her career in comedy, and how to prioritize what brings you genuine happiness and fulfillment, even if it diverges from conventional paths to success.
- Community building: Her efforts to create an online community around the concept of “enough” and providing a platform for people to continue to support each other on their journeys of self-discovery.
- Interpersonal connections: How the concept of “enough” applies to various types of relationships, from family dynamics to romantic partnerships.
- The influence of social media: How social media can perpetuate unrealistic standards of wealth and beauty, contributing to a sense of inadequacy and the never-ending pursuit of more. Plus, how to cultivate a greater appreciation for what you have.
- Travel as a catalyst for growth: How travel fosters personal growth and gaining perspective on one’s own life.
An Interview with
Claire Berger
What inspired you to explore the concept of “enough?”
Mid-pandemic, I decided to totally reinvent my life. I left everything familiar—my home, my steady income, and many people I loved, including my adult son, Sam—and I moved from my deeply rooted life in Los Angeles to Brooklyn with my daughter, Jenna, my son-in-law, Patrick; my granddaughter, Natalie; and their French bulldog, Bridget. It was a bold move. At 64, I had to dive into the unknown and reinvent every aspect of my personal and professional life. I found myself asking questions like, “How many new friends are enough to make me feel socially secure in my new world? How much New York square footage is enough to live in after living in spacious California homes? How much money is enough to live on?”
Why is it so difficult for so many people to appreciate what they have? Why are we always searching for more?
I think social media puts an enormous emphasis on material wealth and physical beauty, creating an unrealistic expectation of how we should look and live. One of the many gifts of age for me has been to feel more secure about all that I have and not feel driven to live anyone else’s life but my own. Feeling a sense of competition with others can be a positive motivational tool, but more often than not, it can also create an insecure sense of self; always striving for someone else’s success without stopping to appreciate your own.
How did your background in comedy and improv influence your approach to deeper topics like religion, family and money? Why was it important for you to incorporate humor while exploring life’s most baffling questions?
Humor is a lifeforce for me. It always has been, from the time I was quite young. We moved around a lot when I was growing up and I quickly learned that humor would be my social currency with each new school I attended. I would never be the class beauty, but I had a shot at being popular as the class comedian. It’s how I moved through the world.
I am hard-wired to find humor in most things, even difficult events and tragic moments. There is a great deal of mental illness and substance abuse in my family and I believe a sense of humor has kept me healthy and wired with a positive outlook on life.
Why did you decide to format “How Much Is Enough?” as part self-help and part memoir? How did you navigate the balance between sharing personal stories and offering self-help and guidance in your book?
I wrote this book to start a conversation. I want my readers and audiobook listeners to connect with my personal stories that explore various concepts of ‘enough.’ Infusing each chapter with questions and self-reflective exercises felt more inclusive, like I was reaching through the pages and encouraging readers to get personally involved in each topic. I am very honest, and at times quite intimate in my own stories of ‘enough.’ Hopefully readers will follow my example.
You cover a lot of ground in this book. Were any subjects particularly difficult to write about?
Yes. But I didn’t shy away from sharing difficult aspects of my life because variations of my story are shared by many. Discussing divorce, personal health obstacles and even honoring the way my father chose to end his life represents reinvention and recovery that can hopefully help others.
What role do you think humor should play in our personal growth journeys?
A sense of humor will open doors, personally and professionally. I discovered at an early age that my positive energy and outlook on life makes me a better human in all aspects of my life. My role as a daughter, a parent, a partner, a friend, and in my profession is greatly enhanced through humor. Nothing makes me happier than to hear my adult children reminisce about their childhood, fondly recalling offbeat things I initiated, like our wacky themed playdates or ‘Cuss Day.’
What do you hope readers take away from “How Much Is Enough?”
That regardless of our bank account balance, what we have is often more than enough. Even in challenging times, when we are in transition, when we are between jobs, homes or relationships, it is so important to appreciate what we have vs bemoaning what we lost.
Can you tell us about the community you’ve created on Facebook?
My hope is that my book will create community through ongoing chatter about the concept of ‘enough’ beyond the pages. I wanted to build an “enough” clubhouse where we could gather and continue to share stories. Facebook seems to be a comfy locale. You can find the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2034107663612081
What topics does your book explore?
- Space
- Apparel
- Childhood
- Family
- Health
- Marriage
- Friendship
- Food
- Travel
- Work
- Substances
- Fun
- Education
- Memory
- Love
- Sex
- Religion
- Money
- Time
- Life
How does the concept of “enough” come into play with relationships of different types (family, parenting, romantic, friendship, etc.)? Similarly, can you also discuss how your experiences with health challenges and family illnesses influenced your perspective on what is “good enough” in terms of health?
This is such a deep question because it reinforces how often we do an emotional ‘enough’ inventory in so many of our relationships. Here are three examples I explore in depth in my book. As a child growing up with a mentally ill mother, I always thought that if I could just be a better kid, she would be able to have enough energy to focus more on herself and get better. As a parent, I was devastated when my teenage son received a grim health diagnosis. I thought I had enough resources, compassion and moxie as a parent to heal him, which wasn’t true. And, when I came to realize that my husband was an alcoholic, I was forced to acknowledge that our family wasn’t enough of a reason for him to seek treatment.
How does your book explore personal growth through travel?
I am a huge fan of travel and firmly believe that a deeper appreciation of our own lives grows from witnessing others’ lives first hand, up close. This was certainly true for my son and I when we traveled to Benin, West Africa, but you don’t have to travel around the world to discover humanity’s depth of resilience, beauty and diversity.
I also think that giving the gift of travel instead of material objects can be the most profound and enduring gift you can give. My college graduation gift to my daughter was a 10-day road trip where the two of us visited many of our country’s most spectacular national parks. It was also the most selfish gift I ever gave anyone because I had as much fun making memories as my daughter did!
You’ve had an incredible career in comedy, from Chicago’s legendary Second City to performing as a warm-up comic on Seinfeld. How have you balanced the pursuit of personal fulfillment with societal expectations of success?
In the 80’s, when I was coming up in the comedy business, the societal expectation of success meant national tours, stand-up spots on late night TV, your own comedy specials and/or being in the cast of Saturday Night Live. These are all incredibly fulfilling accomplishments and I am deeply proud of my friends who accomplished this level of success. But unlike many of my contemporaries, I married young and I wanted children. So I was open to alternate paths in comedy that wouldn’t pay as much and wouldn’t make me famous, but would make it possible for me to be home to raise my children. Being a warm-up comic was the perfect job for me. I could be with my kids during the day and work in television studios at night, in front of wonderful audiences, on hit shows with brilliant, talented people. I had a great run, working on over 65 different series as a warm-up, and then getting hired by HGTV to host a series when my kids were older.
Reflecting on your own relationship with exercise, what role do you believe physical activity plays in achieving a sense of “enough” in terms of health and well-being?
I’m guessing my chapters exploring the concept of ‘enough’ with regards to health and exercise will be the most relatable to readers and listeners. Who hasn’t asked themselves, “Did I exercise enough today? Did I eat healthy enough today?” And, “Am I setting enough of a healthy example for my loved ones?” This sort of self-reflection is a way of taking personal inventory and can be helpful in living a healthy life, provided we don’t become obsessed or harshly judgmental. I live in a world where an invigorating, long workout can end with a chocolate almond croissant. A healthy balance is my optimum goal.
What’s next for you?
You know, if I represent anything to my friends and family it’s the power of resilience and reinvention. Change is not only possible, it’s inevitable. Staying open to new pivots is how life stays interesting. Writing “How Much is Enough” at this age and stage of my life has been an amazing experience. Sharing my stories, with the hope that I am inspiring other people to explore their own concept of ‘enough,’ makes me feel proud, excited and happy. And that is certainly enough for me.
A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.
Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.
