From Publishers Weekly
In his latest user-friendly road map for human emotion, the author of the bestselling Learned Optimism proposes ratcheting the field of psychology to a new level. "Relieving the states that make life miserable... has made building the states that make life worth living less of a priority. The time has finally arrived for a science that seeks to understand positive emotion, build strength and virtue, and provide guideposts for finding what Aristotle called the `good life,' " writes Seligman. Thankfully, his lengthy homage to happiness may actually live up to the ambitious promise of its subtitle. Seligman doesn't just preach the merits of happiness e.g., happy people are healthier, more productive and contentedly married than their unhappy counterparts but he also presents brief tests and even an interactive Web site (the launch date is set for mid-August) to help readers increase the happiness quotient in their own lives. Trying to fix weaknesses won't help, he says; rather, incorporating strengths such as humor, originality and generosity into everyday interactions with people is a better way to achieve happiness. Skeptics will wonder whether it's possible to learn happiness from a book. Their point may be valid, but Seligman certainly provides the attitude adjustment and practical tools (including self-tests and exercises) for charting the course.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From AudioFile
The author of LEARNED OPTIMISM offers research summaries so illuminating that listening halfheartedly will be impossible. What makes people positive, generous, funny, kind, or original? Are you born with these traits, or can you develop them? How do intimate relationships influence positive traits, and how are they related to depression, insecurity, and pessimism? This smooth abridgment, read perfectly by John Dossett, will win new respect for the behavioral sciences, which have taken a beating during the recent resurgence of the spiritual disciplines. Personal assessment tools on Seligman's Web site --- authentichappiness.org --- will provide additional insights into your "signature strengths," which he says are essential to engage if you want happiness at work and at home. T.W. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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