A Life Well Lived: Mrs. Dunning's Lesson Plan for Happiness

From her classroom to the Coliseum, from her book club to the Bridge of Sighs, Phyllis Dunning has led a long and colorful life devoted to teaching the great works of literature. The chic, worldly, and vivacious Ms. Dunning invites readers to join her as she shares a lifetime of amusing, heartfelt, and illuminating stories drawn from her travels, art, family, and friendships. She writes as though speaking to an old friend, yet you can easily picture her at the front of a classroom, silk scarf and pearls perfectly in place, captivating her audience as she delivers, chapter by chapter, her lesson plan for a life well lived.

From her classroom to the Coliseum, from garden luncheons to grand opera, Phyllis Dunning has spent a lifetime teaching--and living--the art of curiosity, compassion, and grace. With wit and warmth, she reflects on the lessons that shaped her: the power of books and beauty, the joy of travel, the value of friendship, and the quiet strength of gratitude.

Told in a voice both elegant and intimate, A Life Well Lived is part memoir, part master class; a love letter to learning, giving, and the pursuit of a life illuminated by art and heart in equal measure. Through her stories, Phyllis reminds us that happiness, like teaching, is best when shared, nurtured through kindness, laughter, and the lasting connections that make a life truly full.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Partners Media
Published: 06/16/2026
ISBN: 9798993445205
Pages: 208