With contributions from Cheryl Strayed, Mark Cuban, Ta-Nahesi Coates, Melinda Gates, James Patterson, and many more—this fascinating collection gives us a peek into 150 personal treasures and the secret histories behind them.

All of us have that one object that holds deep meaning—something that speaks to our past, that carries a remarkable story. In this book, bestselling author Bill Shapiro has collected a sweeping range of stories, talking to everyone from renowned writers, Shark Tank hosts, and blackjack dealers to teachers, truckers, nuns, and even a reformed counterfeiter. Together, they reveal the often hidden, always surprising lives of objects.