The Plague and I by Betty MacDonald

"In addition to good health, my family possessed a great capacity for happiness. We managed to be happy eating Gammy's dreadful food or Mother's delicious cooking; in spite of cold baths and health programs...with dull bores or bright friends...in love or just thrown over...fat or thin; young or old...This enjoyment of life, no matter what, was Mother's idea and she taught us early to despise the "saddos" (sorry-for-themselves) and to make the best of things."