The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want

The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want | Sonja Lyubomirsky | profound and interesting

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The How of Happine...

	The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want Sonja Lyubomirsky Penguin Press HC, The, 2007 - 384 pages average customer review:based on 43 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Pinnacle of Science

I have read almost every non-technical book written on the psychology of happiness and positive psychology. While they are all good, The How of Happiness is by far the best.

This is no generic self-help book with off-the-cuff suggestions stemming from the authors' own life or anecdotal evidence. Every single claim Dr. Lyubomirsky makes is backed by scientific evidence. Moreover, the book's content is supported by peer-reviewed journal articles. While I am an economist, and not a psychologist, I do know which journals are the most prestigious, and the bulk of this book is based on publications from the most prestigious psychological journals.

To illustrate how highly I recommend this book, consider this. I personally spent over $100 buying multiple copies of the book and giving them to several of my students, in hopes they will read it. If they do read it, they are certain to live happier lives.

I am naturally a very happy person, and can say without reservation that this book has made me happier. My friends have found it surprising that someone as happy as me would be reading a book on happiness. After hearing my profound respect for this book, they too purchased it and found it a life-changing experience.

Of the many reasons we do science, one is to improve the lot of humans, to become a happier society. We are fortunate to live in an age when science has uncovered the science of happiness, and fortunate to have Dr. Lyubomirsky to communicate this science to a non-technical audience so clearly. In my opinion, this book is the pinnacle of science.

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profound and interesting

This is the trade book I have been waiting for on happiness. First, Sonja is one of the most exciting happiness researchers in the field. She does cutting edge work and is a leading authority on the topic. She not only describes her own interesting research but reviews a ton of work by others from around the world. Thus, this book is not about Sonja and that's a good thing (although I am sure her life story is interesting). Second, she does not write like a scientist. The writing style is fluid and playful. The people being interviewed provided great stories that breathe life into the content. Third, the book can be tailored to anyone. One of the best ideas in this book is the idea of fit between people and the exercises to be done to create happiness. There is a lot of work to support these ideas and its the first time I have seen these ideas in a book for the general public.

I have taught positive psychology courses for 7 years and have read dozens of books on the topic. This is one of the best out there and I strongly encourage anyone who is interested in understanding happiness or trying to be happy to get this book. If only all "self-help" books were written by the experts themselves and had evidence to support the ideas in them......

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Very well written and complete

I've read many of the books on happiness and this is one of the best, maybe THE best.

I like books that are based on hard scientific research and this one is draws from many fascinating studies. Where writers like David Myers or Dan Gilbert use studies to give us statistics or tell us why we are so bad at predicting what will make us happy, Sonja Lyubomirsky not only explains but takes the next step and uses her results to tell us what actions we can take to increase our happiness levels.

One thing that is especially useful is that she gives us a quick test to show which activities are likely to resonate with us. So rather than just doing random exercises or activites, she recommends that we do the ones that feel most natural and resonant because these are the ones most likely to have a positive effect.

(My other favorites are The Happiness Hypothesis by Jon Haidt, Stumbling on Happiness by Dan Gilbert (you have to love the cover similarity, with Sonja making pie from Dan's spilt cherries), and Happiness: the science behind your smile by Daniel Nettle)

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Terrific book

This is a terrific book. If offers a very special combination of
*scientific foundation,
*personal and practical focus, and
*engaging, literate prose.

Sonja Lyubomirsky, a gifted and respected research psychologist, displays a wonderful gift for story telling and for simplification that doesn't oversimplify. With exceptional skill and insight, she marries psychological science and journalism.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, page 7, 8, 9

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