Good Pop Psychology book - Rated 
The Happiness Hypothesis
It doesn't really matter why you believe in, we all seek happiness in our lives. So it might just make some sense to understand what happiness actually is and how it can be achieved? The Happiness Hypothesis is neither a self help book nor science for the academic ( although there are several academic papers referenced throughout), it's pop psychology for the curious and inquisitive reader.
Haidt picks his way through various religious aphorisms from Buddhism to Christianity from Hinduism to Islam and selects adages from acclaimed philosophers: Aristotle to Hume, Nietszche to Plato. He presents a selection of maxims from these various thought systems where the underpinning messages have an obvious and striking correlation. What do these correlations mean? And what can clinical psychology add as an explanation? It appears very obvious that there is an innate aspect of the human condition which pertains to happiness. It transcends beliefs, cultures and history. It's important that's understood in ones quest for happiness.
Haidt also goes a bit deeper and more towards the particular as he examines factors which determine happiness in one's job, one's relationships and things that are of a more personal nature. Why are some things more important than others in determining happiness? For example, why is commute time to work more important than the amount of free space in one's home? Haidt explains and substantiates his arguments by referring to experimental evidence and clinical psychology. So it's much more than just relying on 2,000 year old maxims, even though the snippets of ancient wisdoms dovetail nicely with modern scientific evidence he uses.
Some interesting ideas concern not only the remit of happiness but also the very opposite. He discusses best mechanism for dealing with depression: Prozac, meditation or cogitative therapy. He discusses some hard wiring in the brain and behavioural patterns for example the maximizers, who procrastinate and over analyse every choice and decision they make, and the more chilled out satisficers, who reside at the other end of fastidious spectrum. A very thought provoking point discussed is the hypothesis put forward by European Sociologist Emile Durkheim in the late 19th century which correlated probability of suicide with the lack of constraint or obligations in one's life. It's one I had never heard before and with the tragedy of suicide ubiquitous it would certainly make one wonder.
Like all good writers, Haidt has the ability of explaining the esoteric. He does an excellent job of explaining Kant's categorical imperative, scientific concepts such as group selection and the fact that human brain and head size mean that babies are born at very early stage of biological development compared with our primate cousins.
In summary, this book is not an eureka. It's a gentle reminder that happiness is important. There are ways of understanding it that can both be generic or particular and that they are cues from ancient wisdom which we can examine using some modern science and clinical psychology.
I wish I'd read this 35 years ago - Rated 
...I might never have divorced my first wife.
This is an excellent book that explains so much of my life. I am going to buy a copy for each of my children so that they might understand themselves better and avoid some of the stupid mistakes I have made and a good few religious blind alleys. (But on the other hand if I had read it thirty years ago they would never have been born.)
It is a book I will read and read again.
Fascinating must read - Rated
Fascinating information and insights about how we function as humans.
It's amazing and a must read!
Not so sure about the last part on religion but overall: great book.
Well-written, thoroughly researched, fascinating insight - Rated
I cannot recommend this book enough. I've never felt compelled to write to thank an author before, but I did after reading this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it has given me many things to think about and to discuss with my friends and families - I can't remember the number of times I've said in the last few weeks - "in that book I've been reading, it says...." - to the extent that many people I've spoken to about it also want to read it now!
It's thorough in its review of other research and ideas and its insightful in the new ideas it suggests and conclusions he draws. It's also very well written. When I was nearing the end, half of me really wanted to read the final conclusions, but at the same time I didn't want to reach the end of reading it!
Happy reading!
Genuine insight - Rated
This, in many ways, is the "self-help" book for people who don't read self-help books.
Its conclusions probably won't surprise anyone - the way to find happiness is mostly just what Socrates, Jesus, Buddha et al suggested - be nice to people, do a job that satisfies you, stop chasing after material wealth, etc.
All of which might lead you to think there's no point in reading it. But there is. Haidt is that rare beast, a serious academic who can write engagingly for the general (educated) readership. Somehow, seeing his synthesis of many, many areas of psychological research creates a real feeling of enlightenment, and I would be very surprised indeed at anyone who didn't find some serious "food for thought" within its pages.
Did reading it make me happier? Well, this is where I'm supposed to say "Well, no, but...", but - to my own surprise - the answer is actually "yes"! Just a little, but enough to justify making the book a "keeper".
Read it, and think about the way you live. Highly recommended.
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