Synopses & Reviews
Review
“An enlightening, laugh-aloud read. . . . Filled with open, honest glimpses into [Rubins] real life, woven together with constant doses of humor.” Terry Hong, Christian Science Monitor
Review
“For those who generally loathe the self-help genre, Rubins book is a breath of peppermint-scented air. Well-researched and sharply written. . . . Rubin takes an orderly, methodical approach to forging her own path to a happier state of mind.” Kim Crow, Cleveland Plain Dealer
Review
“Practical and never preachy . . . the rare self-help tome that doesnt feel shameful to read.” Daily Beast
Review
“Packed with fascinating facts about the science of happiness and rich examples of how she improves her life through changes small and big The Happiness Project made me happier by just reading it.” Amy Scribner, Bookpage
Synopsis
"Wonderful. . . . Rubin shows how you can be happier, starting right now, with small, actionable steps accessible to everyone." --Julie Morgenstern, New York Times bestselling author of Organizing from the Inside Out
Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter." In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.
In this lively and compelling account--now updated with new material by the author--Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference.
"An enlightening, laugh-aloud read."--Christian Science Monitor
This updated edition includes:
- A new extensive interview with the author
- Secrets of Adulthood
- An excerpt from Gretchen Rubin's new book, Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits--to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life
Synopsis
"This book made me happy in the first five pages." --AJ Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible
Award-winning author Gretchen Rubin is back with a bang, with The Happiness Project. The author of the bestselling 40 Ways to Look at Winston Churchill has produced a work that is "a cross between the Dalai Lama's The Art of Happiness and Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love." (Sonya Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want) In the vein of Julie and Julia, The Happiness Project describes one person's year-long attempt to discover what leads to true contentment. Drawing at once on cutting-edge science, classical philosophy, and real-world applicability, Rubin has written an engaging, eminently relatable chronicle of transformation.
About the Author
Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the bestselling Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill. She was clerking for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor when she realized that she really wanted to be a writer. She lives in New York City with her husband and two young daughters.