Book Review: Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill

This book review is part of a series that covers the topic of Happiness and Self Improvement. The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to Happiness and Self Improvement is Hale Dwoskin. Self improvement is the enrichment of one’s mind, character, and attitude through one’s own efforts and positive thinking. This positive affirmation will lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment.nnHappiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill is a valuable resource for people interested in Happiness and Self Improvement, and it is available through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.nnFrom Publishers WeeklynFor millennia, philosophers, writers and artists have sought the key to human happiness. A Buddhist monk and former cell biologist, Ricard offers his own musings about the nature of happiness and tips on how to attain it in his sometimes tedious, sometimes dynamic guide. Happiness, for Ricard, cannot be found in fleeting experiences of pleasure—the joy of a sunny day, the refreshing taste of an ice cream cone, the ecstasy of sex—but only in the depths of an individual's being. Happiness is not self-interested, but rather compassionate, seeking the well-being of others. If we are truly happy, writes Ricard, we can change the world because of our compassion for others and our desire to end hatred and bring happiness even to those we don't like. For Ricard, happiness is a deep state of well-being and wisdom that flourishes in every moment of life, despite the inevitability of suffering. Individuals can, however, learn to minimize suffering in life by practicing moderation in all things, as well as meditation. Meditative exercises that individuals can practice to achieve happiness appear in each chapter. Ricard (Tibet: A Compassionate Eye) doesn't have much new to tell us about his subject, but he imbues these reflections with his own deep sense of happiness and verve. (Apr. 12) nCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. nnFrom AudioFilenBoth the subject, happiness, and the author/narrator, an accomplished French scientist who's been a Buddhist monk for 35 years, are endlessly fascinating. Ricard's gorgeous accent and unique use of everyday words are totally beguiling. A translator for the Dalai Lama, he is renowned for his research and practice of cultivating a state of happiness. As he explains how to meditate and accumulate positive moods, his presentation is punctuated with quirky humor. For example, when a man confesses that he's afraid of what he will see when he looks within, the Dalai Lama observes that there's nothing more entertaining on TV or film than self-analysis. Just listening to Ricard is soothing and inspiring. This is a great choice for those seeking a calmer inner life. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.