Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act (Kindle Single) (TED Books) [Kindle Edition]

Ron Gutman (Author)

Book Description

How can something as simple as a smile be so deceptively complex? That’s the mystery and magic explored in Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act. From the broad beaming grin of a toddler to the oily smirk of a used car salesman, smiles convey an enormous range of emotions, from joyously happy to nervous or sad. Grins also have radically varied meanings in different cultures, as the author learned during his worldwide trips to explore the complicated, but ubiquitous, act of smiling.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Meet Ron Gutman, a man who wields a nearly mercenary zeal for the human smile. His treatise on the myriad benefits of smiling begins in rural Zimbabwe, but it reaches across the globe, through several branches of science, into a motley trove of peer-reviewed literature, and--frankly--from ear to ear. Along the way, Gutman addresses a grin-inducing gauntlet of whimsical questions. Did you know that we can detect smiles at double the distance from which we can distinguish other facial expressions? Why do emoticons smile differently in English than they do in Japanese? What does the Gross National Happiness (GHP) index actually measure? And what's on your Dandelion List? The fun goes on. A single smile can pack the dopamine load of 2,000 chocolate bars, or the visceral head-rush of winning $25,000! (And we're letting our children do this 400 times a day?!) Smiling can even make your next skydive statistically safer. Cynics, consider yourselves warned. --Jason Kirk

Product Details

• File Size: 3114 KB
• Print Length: 48 pages
• Publisher: TED Books (December 6, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006IS4WW0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,677 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #21 in Kindle Store > Kindle Singles > Essays & Ideas

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A small act with a big impact December 7, 2011

By Michael Nichols

Format:Kindle Edition

In this wonderful book, Ron Gutman describes the big impact that the small act of smiling can have.

The captivating text weaves citations to scientific research from serious scholars around the world - from contemporary studies (from top institutions like Stanford University) to historic observations (dating back to Charles Darwin) - together with the author's personal narrative and contributions from people who sent the author their own anecdotes about smiling.

The author's journey of discovery about the positive impact smiling made in his life stands next to many surprising benefits of smiling that have been revealed through studies from leading universities and in academic publications from countries everywhere.

It's a compelling and joyful read, perfect both for those who are serious enough who want to know the content comes from real science, and for those who just want to learn more about something they already know can transform life for the better.

This is a great gift, both for yourself and for others, and a great reminder that the simplest things in life often make the greatest differences.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great mix of research and personal stories. December 10, 2011

By Your Huckleberry

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I work as a Guest Services Director and I also happen to adore Ted Talks. Naturally, I was drawn to this book. Something I always tell new team members is "if all else fails, smile." I purchased this book with the idea that it would make a great gift for my team to hammer home the importance of smiling. Its a short read and what I like most about it was that it uses a fair mix of scientific research and personal stories. It does not simply focus on science, however. It also uses examples from several religions and cultures to show that no matter who you are or what your background is, smiling is an important way of life. In fact, one chapter mentioned Darwin, Christianity, Buddhism, and Muslims, all within a paragraph or two. I enjoyed the diversity of examples.

I do not think I will end up purchasing this for my entire team, however. Instead, I will probably highlight the main points in a discussion. A better book for a book study or book club, in my opinion, is Be Our Guest, by Disney Institute because it gives better application. "Smile" is a great little thought experiement though, and I enjoyed the read.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A book to Smile about December 12, 2011

By Debahi

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a very enjoyable book and I began smiling almost as soon as I began reading it. I loved the author's description of his travels in the bus in Zambia and how his smile enabled him to connect with people. The book is a comfortable mix of personal anecdote and scientific and historical information, interspersed with pictures of smiling people. I learned some new things (which is always pleasurable) and was reminded of other things I knew but had forgotten. I would love to find a print copy of the book to offer to friends who do not have Kindles.