Happiness : The Science Behind Your Smile
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A lucid and sensible survey of the latest research. (Independent )
Well written, accurate and engaging, with a lightness of touch that makes it a delight to read. (Nature )
An authoritative, challenging, even profound analysis of the most up-to-date research into its subject. (Winston Fletcher, THES )
Excellent survey of the subject - a lucid, intelligent, and thoughtful essay. (The Lancet )
Well written, accurate and engaging, with a lightness of touch that makes it a delight to read. (Nature )
An authoritative, challenging, even profound analysis of the most up-to-date research into its subject. (Winston Fletcher, THES )
Excellent survey of the subject - a lucid, intelligent, and thoughtful essay. (The Lancet )
O: The Oprah Magazine, July 1, 2005
Nettle unearths characteristics shared by people who are happy...health & social connectiveness. To that, add browsing through this thought-provoking book.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Nettle summarises the various studies and statistics available on the subject of what make people happy. Importantly, he has a useful discussion on the types of happiness; feelings of joy, judging oneself to be happy, and realising one's potential. He focuses on the second, and crunches through the studies, also provding useful scientific explanations of how the brain works. Three of the most interesting things that stood out for me were that most people are actually happy, control within one's job is more important than income, and there is a distinct (biological) difference between wanting and liking. The latter is the root of addiction (and advertising), and also shows how getting what one wants may not lead to happiness.
I would have been interested in seeing a greater discussion on why the rates of depression are on the rise, yet most people are happy. Is it the case that the extremes of society are getting more pronounced? Or simply, we are more aware of depression than before. I also thought that his view that those who are neurotic (tendency to negative emotions) and introverted (closed to experiences) tend to be less happy was somewhat circular. This is the crux of the issue, that is, what causes what! Does being happy lead one to be less neurotic or the other way around?!
On balance, the book was informative, concise and life-enhancing
I would have been interested in seeing a greater discussion on why the rates of depression are on the rise, yet most people are happy. Is it the case that the extremes of society are getting more pronounced? Or simply, we are more aware of depression than before. I also thought that his view that those who are neurotic (tendency to negative emotions) and introverted (closed to experiences) tend to be less happy was somewhat circular. This is the crux of the issue, that is, what causes what! Does being happy lead one to be less neurotic or the other way around?!
On balance, the book was informative, concise and life-enhancing
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is an enjoyable read, a good survey of the science, and actually useful in thinking about personal happiness. I won't say 'it changed my life', but it will influence the way I think about my wants, needs, and life choices.
I particularly liked the way that it was grounded in an evolutionary approach while holding back from some of the dafter aspects of 'sociobiology'. If you are searching for the meaning of life, you could do worse than start here.
I particularly liked the way that it was grounded in an evolutionary approach while holding back from some of the dafter aspects of 'sociobiology'. If you are searching for the meaning of life, you could do worse than start here.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The book tries to cover all the ways you could look at happiness from a non-emotional perspective. Are you happier when you're older/younger/slimmer/fatter/married/single? Is it genetic, and are there different kinds of happiness? The book tries to answer all these questions... and it does so with limited success. I found the book hardgoing in one part with too much statistical sociology information.
The part on how your brain works was fascinating, about how the different chemicals in your brain work to keep you happy/sad etc. Overall a good read, enlightening.
The part on how your brain works was fascinating, about how the different chemicals in your brain work to keep you happy/sad etc. Overall a good read, enlightening.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Interesting book
This book was delivered to me very soon after my order, thank you.
Its very interesting, I enjoyed it
Its very interesting, I enjoyed it
Published 17 months ago by DGR
Great overview of the subject of "happiness"
The author summarises the research on the subject of "Happiness" very clearly. He also presents three different "types/levels" of happiness and discusses why some people are... Read more
Published on 15 Aug 2009 by Manmoon
Sane and entertaining
This hand sized paperback by Daniel Nettle has it all: wisdom, wit, useful information, philosophical discourse, groundbraking psychology and, good old common sense. Read more
Published on 21 Jan 2007 by Slocum
A scientific study of happiness
'Happiness' explores what happiness actually means from a biological and social viewpoint and how we can best attain happiness. Read more
Published on 21 Dec 2006 by Sarah Durston
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