Richard Carlson (author)
Encyclopedia
Richard Carlson Ph.D. was an American author, psychotherapist, and motivational speaker, who rose to fame with the success of his book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all Small Stuff (1997), which became one of the fastest-selling books of all time and made publishing history as USA Today
s bestselling book for two consecutive years. It also spent over 101 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list
, and was published in 135 countries, and translated into Latvian, Polish, Icelandic, Serbian and 26 other languages; thereafter Carlson went on to write 20 books.
in East San Francisco Bay Area
. He was an avid tennis player. He was the top ranked junior in Northern California in 1979.
He received his bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University
in Malibu, California, where he met and married Kristine Anderson (Kris Carlson
) in 1981. He later received his doctorate (Ph. D.) in psychology from Sierra University in Costa Mesa, California
.
He wrote many follow-up books to this success, including Slowing Down to the Speed of Life (co-authored with Joe Bailey
) in 1997, one co-authored by his wife, Don't Sweat The Small Stuff in Love (2000), and What About the Big Stuff (2002).
during a flight from San Francisco to New York
, while on a promotion tour for his book Don’t Get Scrooged: How to Thrive in a World Full of Obnoxious, Incompetent, Arrogant and Downright Mean-Spirited People (2006). He was survived by his wife, Kristine Carlson
, and their two teenage daughters, Jasmine and Kenna; two sisters, Kathleen Carlson Mowris of Olympic Village, California and Anna Carlson of La Selva Beach, California
.; and his parents, Barbara and Don Carlson of Orinda, California
.
Obituaries
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
s bestselling book for two consecutive years. It also spent over 101 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
, and was published in 135 countries, and translated into Latvian, Polish, Icelandic, Serbian and 26 other languages; thereafter Carlson went on to write 20 books.
Early life
Carlson was born and raised in Piedmont, CaliforniaPiedmont, California
Piedmont is a small, affluent city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is surrounded by the city of Oakland. The population was 10,667 at the 2010 census. Piedmont was incorporated in 1907 and was developed significantly in the 1920s and 1930s...
in East San Francisco Bay Area
East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
The East Bay is a commonly used, informal term for the lands on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, in the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States...
. He was an avid tennis player. He was the top ranked junior in Northern California in 1979.
He received his bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
in Malibu, California, where he met and married Kristine Anderson (Kris Carlson
Kristine Carlson
Kristine Carlson is an American author living in California. A graduate of Pepperdine University, she is known as the wife of, and co-author with the late Dr...
) in 1981. He later received his doctorate (Ph. D.) in psychology from Sierra University in Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
.
Career
Carlson started his career as a psychotherapist and ran a stress management centre, and published his first book in 1985, but became famous when his 12th book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all Small Stuff became a best seller. "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" topped the bestseller lists for two years. People magazine named Richard Carlson as one of that publication's "Most Intriguing People in the World." He was popular on the talk-show circuit. Meanwhile he also appeared in Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... and It's All Small Stuff, TV Special, and soon took up writing full-time.He wrote many follow-up books to this success, including Slowing Down to the Speed of Life (co-authored with Joe Bailey
Joseph Bailey (author)
Joseph Bailey is a psychologist, consultant and public speaker. He is noted largely for his 1990 book about addiction and treatment, The Serenity Principle and is the author of three other books on mental well-being:Slowing down to the Speed of Life , The Speed Trap: Avoiding the Frenzy of the Fast...
) in 1997, one co-authored by his wife, Don't Sweat The Small Stuff in Love (2000), and What About the Big Stuff (2002).
Death
Carlson died on December 13, 2006, of a pulmonary embolismPulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance that has travelled from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream . Usually this is due to embolism of a thrombus from the deep veins in the legs, a process termed venous thromboembolism...
during a flight from San Francisco to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, while on a promotion tour for his book Don’t Get Scrooged: How to Thrive in a World Full of Obnoxious, Incompetent, Arrogant and Downright Mean-Spirited People (2006). He was survived by his wife, Kristine Carlson
Kristine Carlson
Kristine Carlson is an American author living in California. A graduate of Pepperdine University, she is known as the wife of, and co-author with the late Dr...
, and their two teenage daughters, Jasmine and Kenna; two sisters, Kathleen Carlson Mowris of Olympic Village, California and Anna Carlson of La Selva Beach, California
La Selva Beach, California
La Selva Beach is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, California. La Selva Beach sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported La Selva Beach's population was 2,843....
.; and his parents, Barbara and Don Carlson of Orinda, California
Orinda, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Orinda had a population of 17,643. The population density was 1,389.5 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Orinda was 14,533 White, 149 African American, 22 Native American, 2,016 Asian, 24 Pacific Islander, 122 from other races, and...
.
External links
- Brief profile at Richard Carlson Memorial Site
- Don't Sweat.com official site
- Co-author Joe Bailey Site
- Graphical compilation of Richard Carlson's Weekly Thoughts
Obituaries