Щастлив и депресиран

by Alastair Campbell, Алистър Кембъл, Десислава Бошнакова (Translator)

Представете си, че живеете в страна, която не измерва БВП, а БНЩ - брутното национално щастие.

Може ли нацията да е шастлива, ако отделните хора в нея (ти) не са щастливи?

Колко често мислите върху щастието? Знаете ли какво ви прави щастливи?

Търсите ли щастие в живота?

Какво е щастие в крайна сметка?

Ако тези въпроси намират място в главата ви, със сигурност „Щастлив и депресиран" ще ви помогне да се приближите кьм верния за вас отговор.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mental Health, Politics, Biography, Memoir, Self Help, Audiobook

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2012

About the author

Alastair John Campbell is a British journalist, author, strategist, broadcaster, and activist, who is known for his political roles during Tony Blair's leadership of the Labour Party. Campbell worked as Blair's spokesman and campaign director in opposition (1994–1997), then as Downing Street Press Secretary, and as the Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson (1997–2000). He then became Downing Street's director of communications and spokesman for the Labour Party (2000–2003).

Since his work for Blair, Campbell has continued to act as a freelance advisor to a number of governments and political parties, including Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania. He was an adviser to the People's Vote campaign, campaigning for a public vote on the final Brexit deal. He is the editor-at-large of The New European and chief interviewer for GQ. He acts as a consultant strategist and as an ambassador for Time to Change and other mental health charities. Throughout his time in Downing Street, Campbell kept a diary which reportedly totalled some two million words. Selected extracts, titled The Blair Years, were published in 2007. He expressed an intention to publish the diaries in fuller form, which he did from 2010 to 2018. In 2019, Campbell was expelled from the Labour Party after voting for the Liberal Democrats in that month's European elections. In 2022, Campbell launched the podcast The Rest Is Politics with Rory Stewart, which has been the top politics podcast in the UK in the Apple rankings since its launch.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful and insightful look at happiness and depression from a man who should know what he's talking about. Went to hear him speak and then bought this short book afterwards. It is a clear presentation of Mr Campbell's philosophy about happiness and includes a refreshingly frank description of his own battles with depression. He makes some excellent points about the current well-being agenda and obviously has a clear vision about which areas policy makers should focus on. I hope he can find a role which allows him to put these excellent points into practice.

[Sinead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this short book as it was very engaging. I’d love if he wrote a follow up book writing about the state of mental health support in 2019 in Britain. I fear that it may be worse now after years of austerity and Brexit.

[Jakub Dovcik · Rating 4 out of 5]

First part of the book is spent on the meaning of happiness in policy world and its measurements. As the book was written shortly after the 2010 election, what Campbell comments are the beginnings of the move toward the inclusion of happiness in policy evaluations of Whitehall initiated by Cameron’s coalition - as someone who experienced it almost a decade later, I must say it still has not really been conceptually developed enough to be practicable in wider parts of policy world.

Most of the book, however, is spent on very personal narrative about happiness, depression and grief. For someone that has read other books by Campbell or has listened to some of his interviews and podcasts, not that much is new, yet it is still amazing to read his kind and thoughtful reflections on issues all of us deal with almost every day.

Kind of messy, but always refreshingly reflective and enjoyable.

[richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Competently written - how could it not be - and fairly engaging, and of course it is interesting to vicariously gain some insight into the inner workings of someone who spent years in the public eye as the spinmeister for Tony Blair's government. We forget that these people are people. Disturbing that at the youthful age of 54 he is now so firmly, as he puts it, 'on the back nine of life' - can those of us mere mortals afford that luxury?

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read as only 90 pages long but made me want to read more by the author.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the word “whingeocracy”

[Mr Alister Cryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The politics of depression

Alastair is someone whom, as a fellow Scot and Labour supporter I feel an automatic affinity with. Some interesting thoughts on depression and politics during the Coalition years. In a way it left me disappointed as I want to know Alastair more and I would have liked the book to say more about the situation we now find ourselves in.

[Fionn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad jump into Alastair Campbell's brain and his take on mental health and its relationship with politics. Very much of its time (David Cameron's premiership) but pretty enlightening nonetheless. Doesn't add too much to the dialogue on mental health, but paired with a lot of listening to his podcast recently, I did enjoy the listen.

[Emma Dargue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at alastair Campbell's life with depression and him trying to find out what makes people happy. As well as the difference between happy and contentment.

[Jonny Brick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early notes for Living Better, based on a happiness lecture, with plenty of memoir and lots of useful advice.

[Phyllida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this book was longer. It got really interesting and involving when he starts talking about his own life and his friends. Having lost my own father I was moved by what he said about grief.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I respect Alastair Campbell for his work on depression and his openness. His description of how it impacts on your family and friends and his advice to live not seeking perfect happiness, but to your values , is sound I think. It’s certainly where I’ve got to increasingly in living with my own depression.

[Iola Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read about someone who is completely focused on doing and clearly can't face time spent "being". Yet has found a way to come to terms with this rather than battle his depression (which mist depressives so do) he accepts it and carries on regardless. I particularly like that someone so publically seen as Labour politically has acknowledged there is some good in the Conservative well being agenda. Shame the Conservatives seem to have let go of this in 2015, and this book's social message is already becoming lost and the book dated.

[Randy Hines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick and thoughtful read

A quick and thoughtful read. It was very interesting to read about the notion that governments could focus more on the abstract notion of wellbeing than the traditional metrics of growth. Similarly, companies should also focus less on shareholder value and more on the happiness of their employees. The author's personal experiences were touching as well especially in the context of a successful and public career.

[Louise Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, easy to read insight into one man's battles with mental illness, and his interpretation of happiness. There is also an introduction to state wellbeing initiatives which I found to be very interesting. He recommends some further reading, which I will be downloading soon. Highly recommended.

[Debumere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. I'm really on the fence with this which is why I gave it a 3. The first part, with stats, was very interesting. When Alastair started talking about his depression part of me thought 'You're just cashing in' and another thought 'Well, good for you.'

With so many celebs and famous people jumping on the mental illness bandwagon, I am quite cynical.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little book written by Alastair Campbell.
I'm a huge fan of his diaries so it was quite refreshing to read about his idea of happiness and how mental illness should not suffer any stigma.
His account of his nervous breakdown is very powerful, and his thoughts about his late friend Ph.Gould are very moving.

[Rose Bridges · Rating 3 out of 5]

This only took me an hour to read but I found it had insight, expressing his take on happiness and depression. I enjoyed reading it and did take some thoughts from it which I could relate to. I did feel as though I was reading a magazine article rather than a book if that makes any sense.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read Alistairs interpretation of what happiness is, his bad and not so bad days ring true. Would love to hear him speak

[Kevin Coaker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rip-off 98 pages that has the cheek to call itself a novel. A collection of brief essays that offer little of any depth.

[Fran Hedges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite interesting perspectives on happiness. Enjoyed the research etc. Biased as Iike Alastair Campbell's books.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

More political than personal, alas, but interesting.

[Aleks de Barra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely recommend, with all my heart.