The Happiness Hypothesis

By: Jonathan Haidt

Narrated by: Ryan Vincent Anderson

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

The best-selling author of The Righteous Mind draws on philosophical wisdom and scientific research to show how the meaningful life is closer than you think.

The Happiness Hypothesis is an audiobook about ten Great Ideas. Each chapter is an attempt to savor one idea that has been discovered by several of the world's civilizations - to question it in light of what we now know from scientific research, and to extract from it the lessons that still apply to our modern lives and illuminate the causes of human flourishing.

Award-winning psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the author of The Righteous Mind, shows how a deeper understanding of the world's philosophical wisdom and its enduring maxims - like "do unto others as you would have others do unto you", or "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" - can enrich and even transform our lives.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2006 Jonathan Haidt (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

"An erudite, fluently written, stimulating reassessment of age-old issues." (Publishers Weekly)

"The Happiness Hypothesis...has more to say about the pleasures and perils, the truths, of being alive than any book I've read in a long time." (San Francisco Bay Guardian)

"[T]he psychologist Jonathan Haidt shows in his wonderfully smart and readable The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom [that] modern science and history have a lot to say to each other." (Darrin McMahon, The Washington Post)

Awesome book, poor performance

Incredibly well-researched book, compelling arguments, perhaps at times a little bit too self-assured but definitely very valuable for our times and extremely common-sensical. Would have enjoyed much much much more had the performance caught any of the humor and irony obvious in the tone of the writer and sadly completely absent in this monotonous reading... so, a much better read than a “hear”, too bad. Still, I listened to the whole thing and am the better for having gained the knowledge in this book.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

I feel happier already

I really enjoyed the way this book chose a few main topics to focus on from ancient ideas, then brought forth evidence for or against these ideas from scientific literature. Haidt is truly brilliant and I could stop and think about every few sentences in his writing and get so much out of it. I’m sure I will keep listening to this one in the future.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Thorough and easy to follow concepts

Very insightful and well presented ..definitely increased my awareness of links between ideologies I once considered in isolation

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Could have been great.

This is an extremely good book for the first eight chapters. Unfortunately, starting in chapter 9 this atheist author decides to take a stab at explaining God. Instead of it supporting the overarching thesis of the book, it comes off as a blind man trying to explain color. And his perspective on people's political ideologies is comedically elementary. Such a shame. Such a waste.

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

A message our divided culture needs

This is one of the most fair-minded and intellectually honest books I have read. The author does an excellent job of laying out his thesis without ever becoming dogmatic or didactic. The content is well researched and academically sound yet engaging and easy to read. Throughout the book, Jonathan Haidt hits the nail on the head again and again and again.

Makes you reconsider a lot of things

I believe everyone should read this book. We don't have to agree with the author, but the many of the points presented in this book are, in my opinion, irrefutable.
Center, left, right, doesn't matter, we would all do better if we listened and made an effort to understand where the different views come from, and thats what I take home after reading this book.
Thanks for writing this.

Fascinating and original

But the person reading needs to work on his voice and cadence. Timing was all wrong.

Great book, annoying narrator.

The voice acting is monotonous with some unpronounced consonants, but totally tolerable. The book is amazing and and well worth multiple listens.

Great Book! Very Insightful and inspiring!

This book was a great work of intellectual art that sheds much needed light on a topic in need of discussion in our modern society. Happiness. It was an amazing journey into the realm of happiness and the meaning of this epic journey we call life.

thought-provoking book

this funk really made me think about life in a different way. also explain the different types of diversity and love

Worth a read

To sum this book up I’d say: it was interesting but also boring at times.

Good but not what I expected

It started greatly, with beautiful scientific and/or psychological explanations.... But it took an unexpected turn into religion and spirituality, that I think didn't need so much stress on. Or maybe I haven't understood the message yet.
Great book nevertheless, and great author.