The Pursuit of Happiness: Discovering the Pathway to Fulfillment, Well-Being, and Enduring...

The Pursuit of Happiness: Discovering the Pathway to Fulfillment, Well-Being, and Enduring Personal Joy | David G. Myers | Why we are happy. Really. Buy this by the case and give

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The Pursuit of Hap...

	The Pursuit of Happiness: Discovering the Pathway to Fulfillment, Well-Being, and Enduring Personal Joy David G. Myers Harper Paperbacks, 1993 - 336 pages average customer review:based on 16 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Social psychologist David G. Myers has reviewed thousands of recent scientific studies conducted worldwide in search of the key to happiness. With wit and wisdom, he explodes some of the popular myths on the subject and presents specific techniques for finding true joy in living:

Are most people happy?What are the inner traits of happy people?Are extroverts happier than introverts?Are men happier than women?Does religious faith promote inner peace and joy?Does well-being come with being well-off?Are happy children more likely to become happy adults?What part do friends play in personal happiness?Is age a factor in feeling happy?What can you do to improve your own sense of well-being?
and much more

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A treasure-trove of modern wisdom

I first heard of "The Pursuit of Happiness" by David G. Myers as a recommended read in "Psychology Applied to Modern Life" by Wayne Weiten and Margaret A. Lloyd - a truly remarkable textbook. This obviously gives immediate credibility to this book, and I have to say that my personal assessment of it is in keeping with that of the two aforementioned authors.

Take these few quotes as a preview of "The pursuit of Happiness" by David G. Myers, a treasure-trove of modern wisdom:

"Happiness is loving what you do, and knowing it matters."

"Well-being resides not in mindless passivity but in mindful challenge."

"Growing up means gaining the wisdom and skills to get what we want within the limitations imposed by reality."

"... two ways to be rich: One is to have great wealth. The other is to have few wants."

"Realizing that well-being is something other than being well-off is liberating. It liberates us from spending on eighteen-hundred-dollar dresses, on stockpiles of unplayed CDs, on luxury cars, on seagoing luxury homes-all purchased in a vain quest for an elusive joy. It liberates us from envying the life-styles of the rich and famous. It liberates us to invest ourselves into developing traits, attitudes, relationships, activities, environments, and spiritual resources that will promote our own, and others', well-being."

Happy reading!

Laurent Grenier, author of the book "A Reason for Living."

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Why we are happy. Really. Buy this by the case and give

one to everyone you know ~

a great study ~ i first read this in my early 30s, and was thrilled to see it republished. At 54, i am still amazed at how this book/study nailed Life...

demystifies happiness as something we can't seek directly, but as something that comes as the result of the right actions and accurate thinking about things...

bad things happen to everyone ~ but more good than bad is the way it's meant to be, and reasonably can be...

it's very comforting and inspiring ~

From a Master Scholar of Psychology -- a Fascinating Word to You and Me About How to Enjoy Life More

If you haven't read David G. Myers, you've missed an enriching experience! Actually, millions of people have read Myers without even knowing it, because he's the scholar who has co-authored millions of copies of Psychology texts in various editions for college students around the world.

Along the way, he occasionally has carved out areas to share with general readers in very thoughtful books. He's an accomplished writer for general readers -- so, no, this is NOT like reading a textbook, even one of Myers' textbooks.

This book distills much of what Myers has gleaned over the years about the nature of what makes us happy. Sounds like a very simple concept -- but, stop and think about our lives for a moment, and we realize it's most definitely not a simple idea.

I'm aware of a number of small reading groups that have used this book -- and I can heartily recommend it for discussion.

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An interesting book, but not original and not very helpful

The author investigates a variety of conditions to see if they do or do not promote happiness. The focus of the book is psychological studies, making the ideas more scientifically authoritative. It's strong points are an entire chaper devoted to "Love and Marriage" and a chapter on "Flow in Work and Play." The book concludes with an epilogue listing the key points of the book in 2 pages. Three cheers for brevity!

Anicius Boethius (480 to 524) wrote "The Consolation of Philosophy" long ago while he was awaiting his execution. Boethius covered all the key points in Myers' book long ago and was more eloquent. Myers' does not really give you a guide book for living a happy life. He says, "The essence of happiness is pausing to savor the gift of our present moments." There is so much more to living a happy, fulfilling life than that. I recommend "Achieve Lasting Happiness" by Robert Canright as a better guide for living a happy life.

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Love and Work

Although I'm paraphrasing, 20th century psychologist William James once said that the primary aim of all men at all times is how to get and keep happiness...and how to recover it if lost. But what is happiness, and how can we get and keep it? Can it actually be pursued, or does it have more to do with one's inborn temperament, gender, or race?

Myers has researched these and other questions related to happiness and has compiled the answers in this easy-to-read, textbook-like book. Some of the factors enabling happiness are work that allows a person to experience "flow," a deep religious faith that offers hope and solace, supportive friends, a satisfying marriage or love relationship, and an optimism that things will work out. Adequate sleep and good health also aid in having a cheerful outlook. About the flow, friends, and love relationship, I immediately thought of Freud and his statement that love and work are the cornerstones to a balanced work.

As a psychology instructor, I always find myself integrating the "happiness factor" into my classes, and Myers' book offers answers and the research to back them up. Plus, its engaging style and topic organization make it easier to pick and choose which research to concentrate on. Nice change from the numerous "self-help" books on the market.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

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