Build the Life You Want

The Art and Science of Getting Happier

By: Arthur C. Brooks, Oprah Winfrey

Narrated by: Arthur C. Brooks, Oprah Winfrey

Length: 5 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

You can get happier. And getting there will be the adventure of your lifetime.

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In Build the Life You Want, Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey invite you to begin a journey toward greater happiness no matter how challenging your circumstances. Drawing on cutting-edge science and their years of helping people translate ideas into action, they show you how to improve your life right now instead of waiting for the outside world to change.

With insight, compassion, and hope, Brooks and Winfrey reveal how the tools of emotional self-management can change your life―immediately. They recommend practical, research-based practices to build the four pillars of happiness: family, friendship, work, and faith. And along the way, they share hard-earned wisdom from their own lives and careers as well as the witness of regular people whose lives are joyful despite setbacks and hardship.

Equipped with the tools of emotional self-management and ready to build your four pillars, you can take control of your present and future rather than hoping and waiting for your circumstances to improve. Build the Life You Want is your blueprint for a better life.

©2023 Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Great read with broad discussion and practical insights

This is an interesting book that pulls from research across disciplines in a way that is thoughtful and digestible

What this world needs more than ever

I’m entering my later 60’s struggling to figure out what is next and discouraged with the direction the world is heading. This book and these wonderful authors have helped me shine a light on what is truly important and provided tools to focus on those areas in my life.

Good, not great

Compared to Arthur Brooks previous works I have read - Strength to Strength and The Conservative Heart - Build the Life You Want leaves a lot to be desired. It lacks the previous works originality, impact, and ability to upset the status quo through an imagination of American life. If you’re new to Arthur Brooks or a big fan of Oprah, this is probably worth a read. It’s not bad, just doesn’t measure up to the high standard of previous works by the author.

Worth it

Well said easy to follow. I enjoyed the lightness of the presentation. May we all clap with 2 hands

Informative and nicely done

I would recommend this book. Practical and insightful.
Research based and supported by evidence. I would share with others.

Uplifting, encouraging, grounding

This book was not a tough sell for because I already have bought into these beliefs and thoughts, nevertheless listening was worth every single minute. I found the material to be helpful and filled with positive energy.

Great insights!

Interesting amount of Nuance, complexities and actionable steps to happiness. The real life examples were relatable and reference of research studies helped support.

Straightforward synthesis of research data

I knew a lot of this information already, because I have read several books and articles and listened to podcasts on similar subjects. But Brooks & Winfrey put the data together with simple, actionable steps that I found quite helpful.

My only complaint is that there doesn't seem to be a companion PDF with some of the exercises in print. That would be the difference between 4 and 5 stars.

Highly recommend !

I found the book straight to the point and uses good examples that are very helpful with the topic . Some information we already know but it was very good to hear the scientific explanation by the author behind it . I will find myself reading it again in order to emphasize more on the important steps to stay happy .

Meh

There's a lot of information in this book and the narrator does an ok job reading but would have loved to have heard more examples and basically just more from Oprah.