Stumbling on Happiness

26th Nov 2020

Daniel Gilbert

I don't like self-help books, but this one had a more scientific and non-ficton approach. Plus with the endorsement of Malcolm Gladwell, I had to give it a try.

It is a fascintating examination of our ability to remember the past, perceive the present and imagine the future. Like our physical body our brain has tricks and shortcuts for perception. I particularly liked the concept of a psychological immune system. The premise was to examine our pursuit of happiness in this context.

Gilbert moved the story forward with examples from scientific studies and has a sharp wit that was very entertaining.