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	• The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World Eric Weiner Twelve, 2008 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 81 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Search for Happiness

You must have catalogued, at some point in your life, the things that make or have made you happy. You must have evaluated whether you are generally an optimist or a pessimist. And I'm sure you've wondered if your happiness might be increased if certain factors in your life - parents (well, we can't change those), partners, professions, and place - were different.

Eric Weiner describes himself as a generally unhappy person, and therefore curious about what brings about happiness. He decided to look into whether where someone lives has an impact upon their frame of mind, and if so, how much. Can a place make one feel better? And if it does, why? What are the built-in (natural) or imposed (societal) features of "happy places." Well, not that the places themselves are happy or grumpy, but that people residing there have a general sense of satisfaction, even ebullience, or, conversely, lead lives of quiet desperation. Are we happier when we get what we want personally, when we are indulging hedonistically, or when we adapt and adjust, compromise, establish a collective consciousness?

Weiner visited ten wildly diverse countries in the world and spent time in each place doing a lot of wondering and inquiring. Along the way, he includes discussions of philosophical happiness, different ways that we are happy, what leads to spiritual bliss, and research on happiness (there is a "World Database of Happiness" in the Netherlands). He ponders the influence of nature and governments on our collective or individual happiness, and issues of freedom and imposed restrictions on personal choice.

So what are the happiest places in the world? Some of Weiner's findings are surprising - lots of money does not necessarily lead to a happy culture, nor does perfect weather. At the same time, happiness is very personal. Some people will be happy no matter where they go, and others will be miserable even in the most appealing surroundings.

The book is fascinating, entertaining, and ultimately very thought-provoking. It might make you want to move to Iceland or Thailand, and it will definitely get you to wondering about who we are as people and as peoples. It's a wonderful book in which to lose yourself - you'll be happy you picked it up!

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If you're happy & you know it let us know

If you could live ANYWHERE where would you? Sounds like one of those magazine questions, doesn't it? Author Eric Weiner took this question seriously, actually traveling to and investigating TEN countries, to determine who and where is happiness. The title and subject caught my attention but Weiner's style and humor kept me reading, and learning thruout with his observation and insight. I highly recommend.

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Very fun read

This book is awesome! It's very fun to read and interesting. The author is funny and his views on the countries he visits are intriguing. This book should be enjoyable to anyone who is interested in the nature of happiness and/or people who are interested in different cultures and traveling.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, page 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

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