by Eric Weiner
First published 2008
Eric Weiner embarks on a global quest to discover where happiness lives. This crabby journalist combines foreign affairs analysis, psychology, science, and humor as he searches for moments of what he calls "un-unhappiness." His journey takes him from America to Iceland to India, investigating whether Swiss citizens find joy in their democratic system or if Qatar's oil wealth translates to contentment. He examines the King of Bhutan's revolutionary concept of Gross National Happiness and explores why Asheville, North Carolina radiates such contentment. Weiner mixes travel writing with scientific research and psychological insights, asking not what happiness is but where it flourishes. Through engaging wit and unexpected discoveries, he offers readers fresh perspectives on both sunnier destinations and brighter dispositions.
Genres: science, psychology, humor
Vibes: engaging, thought-provoking, witty
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, travelogue
Setting: America, Iceland, India, Switzerland, Qatar, Bhutan, Asheville, North Carolina
333 pages · Kindle Edition · Grand Central Publishing