Stumbling on Happiness, Daniel Gilbert
First line: “Priests vow to remain celibate, physicians vow to do no arm, and letter carriers vow to swiftly complete their appointed rounds despite snow, sleet, and split infinitives.”
Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert delves into the depths of the mind to explain to us why, oh why we a) can’t be happy with what we’ve got and b) believe happiness is just around the bend. For a book on cognitive science, psychology, philosophy and behavior economics, it’s surprisingly fast-paced and ultimately satisfying. Even if the reader’s life is not.
For: The self-help junkee who needs a reality check, and brain nerds like me. –Malena Lott