Customer Reviews

Happiness For Dummies

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I've long felt htat some people are able to be happier than others, because they KNOW something that others don't. Often I've been one of those people, but as I get older, I find that sometimes it isn't the case. Something seems missing and I can't say what, etc.

This book goes through many areas of life and how to define and improve your "happiness". I regularly find interesting things while reading this and call my wife over so I can read them to her.

Nicely writen, and great ideas!

I know that the "for dummies" series are not going to be written by the bleeding edge experts, but even in that context this book was a flaming disappointment. I suspect the author, who has also penned Anger Management for Dummies, was chosen only because he knows how to write in the For Dummies format. The references he used and the information he provides here is nearly ancient. The field of Positive Psychology has gone through a massive transformation and growth spurt over the past decade, and none of what we currently know about happiness or positive emotion is reflected in this work. The only good here was that I was able to purchase at a very deep discount... and now I know why.

To be fair: if you know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the subject of happiness, this has some merit. But if you've read anything by Martin Seligman, know who Ben Tal-Shahar, or have read anything published in the past five years either of those men or by Bob Emmons, Barry Schwartz, Sonja Lyubormirsky, Barbara Frederickson, etc -- or frankly, even if you've watched a couple of Oprah shows or read any edition of her magazine, then back away from your keyboard -- there's nothing here for you.