The Book of Human Emotions | Tiffany Watt Smith: Talk & Book Signing

As part of the Arts and Culture Lecture Series, the Yunus Emre Institute in London invites you to an evening with award-winning historian and novelist Tiffany Watt Smith, whose work explores the cultural and historical forces shaping our emotional lives.

Making Emotions Extraordinary Again

Are joy, anger and love truly universal? Or do emotions have histories, shaped and reshaped across different cultures and eras?

In this thought-provoking talk, Tiffany Watt Smith—author of The Book of Human Emotions—explores the hidden cultural frameworks that influence how we experience and express our feelings. Focusing in particular on the shifting meanings of happiness and joy across time, she reveals how emotions are far from fixed, and how their histories can transform the way we understand ourselves and others.

By uncovering the rich and often surprising histories behind our most familiar feelings, this talk invites us to see emotions not as given, but as deeply cultural—and to rediscover their complexity in our contemporary lives.

The talk will be followed by a book signing.

For more information on the event, please visit Yunus Emre Enstitüsü – London’s Website: https://yeelondon.org.uk/ or email us at londra@yee.org.tr

IMPORTANT NOTES: As this is a free event, we often experience a number of no-shows. To make sure seats don’t go empty, we may issue a limited number of additional tickets. Admission is therefore subject to venue capacity and operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that registration or an e-ticket does not guarantee a seat, and standing admission may be possible.

Photography and filming will take place during the event for archiving, marketing, and promotional purposes. By attending, you consent to Yunus Emre Institute using such images and footage in related publications, digital platforms, and promotional materials.

Thank you for your understanding.