jtrigger's review against another edition
3.0
Torn between 2 and 3 stars for this one. I'll grant the benefit of the doubt and round up. The basis is good and offers enough scientific backing to legitimize the concept of the happiness curve itself. Tedious churning through lengthy technical chapters prevent this from attaining "easy read" status. The majority of the worthwhile content here could have been covered adequately as an entry in a journal or a white paper with less than 20 pages.
madonnamatt73's review against another edition
Boring academic book quoting university studies. Dry and dull and not at all helpful except for the basic premise.
Am intellectual study of happiness was not what I was after
Am intellectual study of happiness was not what I was after
paraic's review against another edition
5.0
A helpful book for those of us who dislike self-help books
This is a helpful book for those of us who dislike self-help books: grounded in academic and scientific rigour but told mainly from the perspective of personal stories. I wish I had read this book 10 years ago when my own personal journey across the valley of the U began but maybe I can appreciate it more now I’m climbing back up
This is a helpful book for those of us who dislike self-help books: grounded in academic and scientific rigour but told mainly from the perspective of personal stories. I wish I had read this book 10 years ago when my own personal journey across the valley of the U began but maybe I can appreciate it more now I’m climbing back up
gracectracey's review against another edition
3.0
I found this book very interesting. However there was a lot of repetition, something I personally am not fond of, though I understand the point of the repetition was to drive the message home.
brandonisaacson416's review against another edition
4.0
Probably a 3.5 - this book is better on quantitatively showing & proving the happiness U curve, than on qualitatively exploring why it exists or how one should deal with midlife or later life as a result. Very interesting & useful information.
missy_littell's review against another edition
5.0
Chapter 1: "All this is...is f*#@ing work."
"If his life were written, he would understand. But he has the things he wanted...more than he wanted...or more than he though he wanted."
"We need to understand why midlife dissatisfaction is, for the large majority of people, not a crisis, but a natural and healthy transition."
Chapter 2: "Becoming better off economically seemed to make people less satisfied."
"Rapid change makes people very unhappy."
"People are happier when they do generous things and live among generous people."
"The truest form of wealth is social, not material."
"For many of us the most important form of social connectedness is marriage. Your husband or wife is your doctor and nurse and counselor and therapist of first resort. Your spouse is your part er in raising children and meeting the challenges of life."
Chapter 3: "In middle age we are forced to resign ourselves to all that we cannot be or do."
"I have nothing to prove whatsoever."
Chapter 7: "It means that the ambitions I might have had I increasingly see as distractions from the life I really want to live."
"He feels a deeper sense of recognizing other selves."
"I no longer feel an obligation to save the world."
Chapter 10: "I seek to be growing more attune to the sweetness of life than to its bitterness."
"If his life were written, he would understand. But he has the things he wanted...more than he wanted...or more than he though he wanted."
"We need to understand why midlife dissatisfaction is, for the large majority of people, not a crisis, but a natural and healthy transition."
Chapter 2: "Becoming better off economically seemed to make people less satisfied."
"Rapid change makes people very unhappy."
"People are happier when they do generous things and live among generous people."
"The truest form of wealth is social, not material."
"For many of us the most important form of social connectedness is marriage. Your husband or wife is your doctor and nurse and counselor and therapist of first resort. Your spouse is your part er in raising children and meeting the challenges of life."
Chapter 3: "In middle age we are forced to resign ourselves to all that we cannot be or do."
"I have nothing to prove whatsoever."
Chapter 7: "It means that the ambitions I might have had I increasingly see as distractions from the life I really want to live."
"He feels a deeper sense of recognizing other selves."
"I no longer feel an obligation to save the world."
Chapter 10: "I seek to be growing more attune to the sweetness of life than to its bitterness."