Happier: Can you learn to be Happy? [Paperback]

I really liked this book. While conducting my ongoing research on the subject of happiness, this book caught my eye with its bright red and yellow cover. Glancing through the book, the information caught my attention.

I guess what I liked best about it, and what sets it apart from the rest of the happiness books on the shelf, was the author's approach. Right off the bat, the book makes it clear that one's goal should not be to merely strive for a great state of happiness. As it points out, this approach suggests happiness is a point you try and reach, and then you've "made it"- game over.

Wrong. Nobody goes around in a perfectly blissful state all the time, and pursuing such a goal is doomed to fail.

Instead, our approach should be to try and continually work on being "happier" (hence the reason for the title of the book). The trying to be "happier" approach leaves us with a much more realistic goal- and suggests that it is more of an ongoing process in life we should be shooting for, rather than trying to reach a state of happiness and then you're good to go forever. So just how does the book intend to make one "happier"?

In two words, the research. Since the author teaches a class in positive psychology at Harvard, the book's tips to increase your happiness, such as setting goals and expressing gratitude, stand on solid ground. I also believe most readers will find them pretty doable.

When all was said and done, I found this book to be pretty good read with a sensible approach to becoming happier. Not only does it explain the happiness research in a digestable language, and give you practical happiness boosting tips, it's biggest asset to readers just might be that it helps re-frame the whole idea of how we should go about pursuing happiness. Readers who like this evidence-based book may also want to check out Finding Happiness in a Frustrating World. Happy trails!

Ben-Shahar provides the reader with comprehensive discussion into what it means to be happy. Along with realistic examples and exercises one can discover the answer to this historic question in the context of today's world. "Happier" is a good beginning to a subject matter that many try to explain but frequently fail. Don't worry, read Happier.