The Question of Happiness: On Finding Meaning, Pleasure, and the Ultimate Currency

by Tal Ben-Shahar

Why are our levels of emotional wealth decreasing despite an overall increase in material wealth? Is it possible to be successful and happy? How can we become happier? The Question of Happiness is a philosophical and psychological investigation into the nature of providing a new way of thinking about what happiness actually is, and exploring how we can be happier in relationships, at work, and in school. Tal Ben-Shahar's ideas are both rigorous and accessible, building on academic work while remaining practical and clear.

112 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2002

About the author

Tal Ben-Shahar (Hebrew: טל בן-שחר‎, also known as Tal David Ben-Shachar) is an Israeli teacher and writer in the areas of positive psychology and leadership.

Tal Ben-Shahar taught at Harvard, where his classes on Positive Psychology and The Psychology of Leadership were among the most popular courses in the University's history. Today Tal teaches at the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya.

Tal received his PhD in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University. His dissertation, completed in 2004, is titled "Restoring Self-Esteem's Self-Esteem: The Constructs of Dependent and Independent Competence and Worth." Additionally, he also holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Harvard in Philosophy and Psychology. His undergraduate thesis, completed in 1996, is titled "Honesty Pays: Bridging the Gap Between Moral Theory and Practice."

Tal consults and lectures around the world to executives in multi-national corporations, Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, and the general public. Topics include leadership, education, ethics, happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, and mindfulness. He is the author of the international best sellers Happier and Being Happy, which have been translated into 25 languages.

[Sourced from his wikipedia article.]

Reviews

[Ricardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely quick read (took me about 2 to 3 hours) and very to the point on clearing a path to finding fulfillment and enjoyment even in things like work, etc. This was part of the Positive Psychology course I took (which became the most popular course at Harvard) and Tal is a great guy with a great grasp on separating what's truly important and how to get there. My understanding is that his next book "Happier" is an expansion on this first one so I'm sure it'll be great also.

[X · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gallingly stupid book. I learned about it from The Daily Show and expected something more substantive, but it IS a self-help book.

[Lori Ben-ezra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the best 100 pages you will ever read! The author succinctly outlines ways to prioritize the pursuit of true happiness. I am looking forward to reading the author's full body of work.