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The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom
by Jonathan Haidt | Other
Registered by KimKerry of Prescott, Arizona USA on Saturday, January 31, 2009
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status (set by potok-fan): permanent collection


2 journalers for this copy...

Journal Entry 1 by KimKerry from Prescott, Arizona USA on Saturday, January 31, 2009

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This book is going to Potok-Fan, a winner in my 1/09 RABCK draw. This looks very intriguing!

Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 2 by potok-fan from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi Finland on Tuesday, February 10, 2009

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This arrived already today! Thank you so much, KimKerry. Here is a link to the forum post where I won this RABCK. And here is a link to a book I've sent out as a sort of "pay it forward" to keep the good karma flowing :) (I wonder what Haidt has to say about karma - the word isn't in the index, but I'm sure the idea will come up at some point.)

I came across this book a while ago, and wasn't sure how to weigh it up against other similar-sounding titles (Stumbling on Happiness, The How of Happiness, etc.). But once I found Haidt's university homepage, with links to popular articles about his other research, and even his teaching philosophy I was increasingly impressed and intrigued. I'm so glad to finally get hold of this book, and am looking forward to reading it. THANK YOU, KIMKERRY!

I can't resist adding a quote of Haidt's own description of this book's cover art: Finally, a beautiful rather than conceptual cover. Until now, publishers have always insisted on using a smiley face on the cover. 

Journal Entry 3 by potok-fan from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi Finland on Thursday, February 19, 2009

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Thank you again KimKerry! I am really enjoying this book. Well-written, intelligent, and interesting. Just finished chapter 6 (so a little over halfway through). 

Journal Entry 4 by potok-fan from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi Finland on Monday, March 09, 2009

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Only one chapter left to go, but I'm sure I'll be going back and re-reading. I have talked up this book to several people since I started reading it. In fact, I have to bite my tongue not to talk about it more - I will start to sound like a zealot! ;)

One thing I tell everyone is that although I expected a self-help sort of book, it is actually "Psychology 101". Haidt is a university professor, and this book emerged from his teaching.

Ironically, though, I was a little disappointed in chapter 1 that although he did a wonderful job of explaining everyone else's metaphors for the divided self, his own was very unclear to me. Ironic! However, as he repeatedly referenced it throughout the book it did become clear, and I now find it a useful way of thinking. Already Mr P-f and I reference "the elephant" in our conversations.

I can hardly wait for Mr P to read the book for himself - besides the elephant I've also already introduced into our vocabulary the notion of "maximizer vs. satisficer". (This is not Haidt's idea - it's Barry Schwartz. Like I say, this book draws on LOTS of recent (and less recent) research / ideas - like a Psych 101 course.) I definitely show strong maximizer tendencies, and Mr P is more of a satisficer. I had a friend in college who was the ultimate satisficer: she bought the first second-hand car she looked at - I was appalled! I don't think I'd want to be that extreme, but I take the point that maximizers often end up frustrated, unsatisfied, and unhappy. I'd like to try to let go a little more, and be satisfied with "good enough". 

Journal Entry 5 by potok-fan from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi Finland on Saturday, March 28, 2009

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With only one chapter left to go, I decided this book was NOT a candidate for airplane reading - I wanted to be able to leave behind any books that I finished, and this book is a KEEPER, at least for a while longer (I want to re-read certain bits, and I want Mr P to read it too). So I went travelling without it.

But now my momentum has been lost - I'm back home and I've gotten sidetracked into other books to be read. (I'm halfway through Obama's Dreams from my Father, for example.) So for now this remains TBR, with one chapter to go + re-reading and trying to work out how this affects the way I'm living my life!

Thank you again, KimKerry. 



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