Product Description Utilizing sophisticated methodology and three decades of research by the world's leading expert on happiness, Happiness challenges the present thinking of the causes and consequences of happiness and redefines our modern notions of happiness.
shares the results of three decades of research on our notions of happiness
covers the most important advances in our understanding of happiness
offers readers unparalleled access to the world's leading experts on happiness
provides "real world" examples that will resonate with general readers as well as scholars
Mechanic's Guide to The Power of Positive Thinking November 3, 2008 4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book is a very interesting study of happiness, from the benefits of happiness (not just "feel good"--it affects your health and longevity.) There are chapters on the causes of happiness (well, ok, I am sure we can list the causes of UNHAPPINESS! Woo! That is a negative thought, more on that later.)
Can you be happy? Will this book teach you to be happy? I don't know, but I did like the CHECKLIST of thinking. Two sets of questions; one highlights your negativism, the other your positive side. Obviously, you want to focus on the plus and suppress the negative. And then there is visualization.
All these things are available in other books (Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale) but this is a very easy-to-read handbook that can direct you to examine your life and your attitude. I liked those checklists--that makes this book a bit like a handbook on how to DO positive thinking, not just be in the positive mode. Recommended--in fact, I think this is a must-read.
Hard research, no hype and reasonable approaches to what happiness is and how to achieve it October 26, 2008 3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Happiness is one of those abstract ideas that no one can define; yet everyone is pretty clear about when they experience it. In this book, the authors report on extensive research on the role that happiness has in the human experience. While some of the results are a-priori pretty obvious, there are a few that will surprise you at first reading and afterward make significant sense. For example, in general happier people tend to live longer than unhappy people. No surprise there. However, the very happiest people do not live the longest, it is the group at the second highest level on the happiness scale that live the longest. The author's argument, and it is a sensible one, is that people that are too happy tend to take a few more chances and are less likely to recognize and heed danger signals. The fact is that a bit of unhappiness is a cleansing agent; it causes humans to reevaluate their circumstances and improve their adjustment to their particular corner of the world. The authors argue that the person who claims to be happy at all times is either lying, too easily gratified or mentally ill. A point that any reasonable person would have to agree with, no life is free of stress and difficulties. Furthermore, the argument is also put forward that experiencing difficulties and resolving them is a fundamental component of happiness. There are few things more gratifying than the realization that you have battled your way out of a significant difficulty. I approached this book with a bit of trepidation, as so many of the books about happiness are laden with superlatives, uppercase and bolded words and psychological fluff. That is not the case here, this is a reasoned approach to the concept of happiness, quantitative where possible, reasonable and honest at all times.
Accessing the Science of Happiness September 16, 2008 13 out of 14 found this review helpful
Can money buy happiness? (See chapter 6). Are happier people healthier? (See chapter 3). Do happier people get paid more? (See chapter 5). Are religious / Spiritual people happier? (See chapter 7). Are some people just born happier? (See chapter 9). These are all components of the concept of psychological wealth.
In their new book, Happiness, Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth, Ed Diener and his son Robert Biswas-Diener take on these and other provocative questions. In a very thorough but thoughtful way the Dieners draw on the most current research in the field of Positive Psychology to answer these questions. Sometimes the answers are "yes" sometimes the answers are "no" and sometimes the best and most honest answer is "it depends."
Psychological Wealth
The Dieners define psychological wealth as "your true net worth, and includes your attitudes toward life, social support, spiritual development, material resources, health, and the activities in which you engage." Hence psychological wealth incorporates more than just one's finances. The components of psychology wealth help us understand why some people may be financially poor but are rich in terms of psychological wealth and happiness while others can be fantastically financially wealthy but have very little psychological wealth and are miserable.
The Dieners explore the research findings that are related to each of the components of Psychological Wealth: -Life satisfaction -Spirituality and meaning in life -Positive attitudes and emotions -Loving social relationships -Engaging activities and work -Values and life goals to achieve them -Physical and mental health -Material sufficiency to meet our needs.
For example, as it turns out, (contrary to the oft repeated old adage), money CAN buy some happiness - to a degree - it depends. Yes, other people DO, in fact, matter. In the end, the Dieners say, "psychological wealth is about having a balanced portfolio. This book provides an overview of the elements of psychological wealth that research reveals are good investments."
Four Parts
The book is divided into four parts. Part one focuses on understanding true wealth and the explanation of the concept of psychological wealth. Part two is focused on why happy people function better physically, socially, and at work. Part three digs deeper into the other components of psychological wealth including money, religion/spirituality, culture, and "the happiness set point." Part four pulls everything together and provides a series of surveys and questionnaires for the reader to take to measure one's own psychological wealth.
Science can be fun
If you think all this science and research results in a dull, dry book to read, think again. This book is absolutely a delight to read. The Dieners have made the science very accessible and practical. You will love the stories they weave into the text - both the stories about themselves and the stories about the people they have studied. The Dieners take us along on their adventures around the world. From Africa to the Arctic to the Amazon, we tag along as they unlock the mysteries of happiness. As you read the book you come to understand why Ed is known as the "Jedi Master of Happiness" and why Robert has been called the "Indiana Jones of Psychology." Get the book, settle into a comfortable chair, buckle your seatbelt, and enjoy the ride.
Parting Quote
The Dieners conclude their book by wishing us all happiness and psychological wealth, "If you are high in psychological wealth, congratulations on a life that is well-lived. If you are impoverished, or poorer than you would like to be, now is the time to increase your [psychological] wealth, and hopefully this book has given you knowledge to help you get started." It does, it undoubtedly does.
How to build a life that matters. September 13, 2008 4 out of 6 found this review helpful
How to build a life that matters....How shall we live to achieve a life of happiness, meaning, and contentment? This is the BIG QUESTION for us all. This book tells us everything science knows by the world authority on happiness and a practicing coach/counselor who knows how to make the science clear and palatable to readers.
After factoring out our genetics and temperament--are you generally cheerful or in a bad mood all the time, perhaps 50-80% of our happiness is under our control. The problem is we don't know how to use our power. Happiness tells us how to build a life of meaning and happiness...
Some of the authors tips: Find rewarding circumstances like close friends or a loving relationship and a job full of friends and flow--times of total immersion where time stands still. Pay attention to the good things in life--savor these and recall them often. Don't give in to cynicism and pessimism. As the Buddhists say, your consciousness is your movie, you do not have to play a disaster or horror movie all the time!
The authors argue convincingly for a kind of psychological wealth that may matter more than material goods. As the the old blues song goes: "The world's richest person, is a pauper at times, compared with the man/woman, with the satisfied mind...."
The Pursuit of Happiness September 9, 2008 12 out of 13 found this review helpful
Our Founding Fathers stated that human beings are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Each one of these words has been questioned: When does "life" begin? Does someone's "liberty" constitute a threat to others? What is this "happiness" that we are all pursuing?
This valuable book goes a long way in addressing and answering the "happiness" question. There are many many books about this topic, so why read this one? Perhaps because it is even handed, scientific, easily readable, authoritative, and will inform and enrich you. I generally don't read books like this, but this one is exceptional.
All rights reserved. Amazon.com is a trademark of Amazon.com Information about prices, products, services and merchants is provided by third parties and is for informational purposes only. Caribbean Travel Books does not represent or warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information, and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.
