A Life Well Lived: Mrs. Dunning's Lesson Plan for Happiness

Life lessons from the classroom, the world, and the pages of great books.

From her classroom to the Coliseum, from garden luncheons to grand opera, Phyllis Dunning has spent a lifetime teaching―and living―the art of curiosity, compassion, and grace. With wit and warmth, she reflects on the lessons that shaped her: the power of books and beauty, the joy of travel, the value of friendship, and the quiet strength of gratitude.

Told in a voice both elegant and intimate, A Life Well Lived is part memoir, part master class; a love letter to learning, giving, and the pursuit of a life illuminated by art and heart in equal measure. Through her stories, Phyllis reminds us that happiness, like teaching, is best when shared, nurtured through kindness, laughter, and the lasting connections that make a life truly full.

Phyllis Dunning has been a beloved English literature teacher to thousands of students in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, over the course of her 33-year career in education. Throughout her inspiring life, she has traveled the globe, nurtured lasting relationships with students, artists, and friends, and championed the arts at every level. Phyllis has generously supported numerous cultural institutions, including the Winston-Salem Symphony, Piedmont Opera, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and Reynolda House Museum of American Art.

Joyce Storey is an award-winning, New York City–based writer, actor, and producer, and a close friend of Phyllis Dunning for many years. Besides collaborating with Phyllis, she has written plays―including Caged and Time Wars―and is the co-author of two books, 75 Monologues Kids Will Love! and 101 Awesome Original Monologues for 20-Somethings. Joyce is the President of Bentley Productions, a theatrical lighting company representing the designs of Tony Award–winning Howell Binkley, and she sits on the board of Parsons Dance. She enjoys traveling, entertaining, and writing.