Jeevan DSouza
The book is very well written and discusses almost every seminal academic work known to humanity on the subject of understanding happiness. The author does a great job in covering theories in the fields of philosophy, psychology, anthropology, linguistics, computer science and neuroscience. The only part of the book I do not agree with are the solutions the author proposes for changing/altering one’s state of mind. The author suggests meditation, therapy and Prozac. I agree with meditation and therapy but I think Prozac is not an intelligent suggestion. It is more of a cop out or a form of escapism. I would substitute Prozac with proper diet and exercise. It is quite shocking to see how someone as knowledgeable as the author would propose a solution like that. Besides this one point, it is one of the best books I have read!
mathew frazer
One of the best books I ever read! Mr. Haidt does an amazing job building his hypothesis. It is one of the few books I keep around for reference. It is not an easy read, but well worth the challenge. I find myself quoting the Happiness Formula (H = S + C + V) to my family and friends. Bottomline, the book is a life changer!
8 people found this review helpful
A Google user
This book is not only delightful to read, but it opens up the readers' eyes to the subtle truths that were always there with insightful personal stories of the author and comprehensive reviews of current psychology literature. This book has changed my life, as it turned out to be the most important manual of all - the manual to myself.