Roy Spence was raised in a family of huggers. When his dad—Big Roy, the biggest hugger of them all—passed away at the age of ninety-five, Roy Jr. started the healing process and discovered a more profound purpose behind the power of hugs.

Roy inherited his dad’s way of greeting both friends and strangers alike with a hug. In his journey from small-town Texas boy to CEO of a nationally acclaimed advertising agency, he hugged heads of state and CEOs, waitresses and receptionists, the famous and the salt of the earth. And he used hugs to mend fences, to get over it and get on with it, and to spread a little good in the world.

In the 10 Essential Hugs of Life, Roy shares the inspiring lessons he has learned from practicing what his dad taught him—anyone worth meeting is worth hugging—with the hope that others will take up the call to put a little more joy in the lives of those we touch, including our own. We simply need to hug ourselves first, hug our faith and our flags, our friends and family, our fears and failures, our firsts, our futures, and our finals. When we embrace all of the people and events that make us who we are, we discover deep wells of love.

With warm Texas charm and stirring artwork, The 10 Essential Hugs of Life reveals a path to healing, to goodness, to a future full of love and hope.