Richard Carlson (author)


Richard Carlson was an American author, psychotherapist, and motivational speaker. His book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff... and it’s all Small Stuff, was USA Today's bestselling book for two consecutive years. and spent over 101 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list. It was published in 135 countries and translated into Latvian, Polish, Icelandic, Serbian and 26 other languages. Carlson went on to write 20 books.

Early life

Carlson was born and raised in Piedmont, California in East San Francisco Bay Area. He played tennis and 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 in 1981.

Career

Carlson started his career as a psychotherapist and ran a stress management centre. He published his first book in 1985, but became famous with his 10th book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all Small Stuff. While Richard Carlson did not coin the term "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff," he was awarded a trademark for bringing it into American pop culture. The book was number one on the New York Times list for over 100 weeks. The Don't Sweat series is based on his earlier work presented in "You Can Be Happy, No Matter What: Five Principles to Keep Life in Perspective." 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 a Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... and It's All Small Stuff TV special, and soon took up writing full-time.
His following books include Slowing Down to the Speed of Life, one co-authored by his wife, Don't Sweat The Small Stuff in Love, and What About the Big Stuff.

Death

Carlson died on December 13, 2006, from a pulmonary embolism 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. He was survived by his wife, Kristine Carlson, and their two daughters, Jasmine and Kenna; two sisters, Kathleen Carlson Mowris of Olympic Valley, California and Anna Carlson of La Selva Beach, California; and his parents, Barbara and Don Carlson of Orinda, California. His parents, founders of the charitable organization the ARK Foundation which was dedicated to promoting world peace, passed away after Dr. Carlson's death. His father Donald Carlson died on February 20, 2017 at the age of 84 and had been preceded in death by his wife of 57 years.