Happiness: The Nature and Nurture of Joy and Contentment

by David T. Lykken

What makes us happy? Is it money, a fancy car, a nice house? Or is it something less tangible, something we have no control over? Is happiness in our blood? In this fascinating look at the world's most sought-after emotion, Dr. David Lykken recounts a series of extensive studies conducted on identical twins reared miles apart. The studies reveal that, no matter where we live or what we do, we have a consistent "Happiness Set Point": our overall levels of happiness remains the same.

But our quest for constant contentment doesn't necessarily end there. While there's nothing we can do to change our genetic makeup, there's a lot we can do to make the most of our Happiness Set Point. As kind and candid as a good friend, Lykken reveals aspects of our lives that allow us to overcome our genes, that bring us pleasure. Whether it's a faithful pet, an interesting career, or the perfect lemon meringue pie, being what Lykken calls "an epicure of experience" is the key. Furthermore, Lykken outlines the emotions that deprive us of happiness, such as fear, anger, and shyness, and the ways that we can counteract them.

With unfailing good humor and fascinating scientific research, Happiness explores the surprising truth behind our moods, and presents a new way of thinking, guaranteed to put a smile on even the most somber face.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2000

Reviews

[Corey · Rating 3 out of 5]

No aphorisms here. Paradoxically, statistical and anecdotal simultaneously. That being said, the data itself is interesting and often surprising, though, some of it is very difficult to believe. He doesn't explore, enough, the possibility that people answer that they are happy simply because they want to be happy - not because they actually are.

[Jessika جيسيكا Valentine ملو فالنتاين · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book and found some parts of it very interesting. The writing style was also simple and communicated the author's ideas easily and well. There were some interesting side stories and commentary that I wouldn't call scientific like the author's mother in law and wife's telepathic abilities, his recommendation of St. Johns wort for treatment of depression, and his opinions on a successful marriage.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of the many books I have read by medical and psychology experts, this book was the most disappointing. It was tedious, long, and contained little useful information. During the last paragraph, the author mentions that he is a member of the Hemlock Society. Perhaps his nillism taints his ability to be objective in his research.