Happier with Gretchen Rubin Move Happier: How Do You Move On After College Drop-Off? with Author Ben Markovits
Mar 8, 2026
Ben Markovits, novelist and author of The Rest of Our Lives, reads from his book and reflects on a cross-country drive that became a narrative frame. He talks about illness shaping the story, why he writes about family and marriage, and his daily two-hour writing ritual. He also shares influences, road-trip structure, and a simple physical practice for focus.
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Marriage After The Dropoff
- The novel explores what marriage becomes after children leave, showing a man reassessing identity, marriage, and choices while on the road.
- Ben Markovits frames this as examining the “rest of our lives,” not a single decision to leave but accumulating uncertainties.
Author's Illness Became Fictional Symptom
- Markovits gave his protagonist Tom the unexplained middle‑age health symptoms he experienced while drafting the book, including sudden loss of stamina while jogging.
- Those real symptoms later led to diagnosis and informed the novel's portrayal of illness and vulnerability.
Chemo Changed The Book's Emotional Tone
- During his chemo, Markovits noticed the overlap between illness routines and a writer's daily tasks, which altered his portrayal of relationships in the book.
- The experience made him soften an originally lonelier story into one with renewed intimacy.
