The 21 Best Happiness Books of All Time

By Tchiki Davis, MA, PhD

​Want to read the absolute best books on happiness? Discover happiness books written by the most knowledgeable, insightful, and relatable authors.

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What Are the Best Happiness Books?

While studying happiness in grad school I started reading lots of happiness books. I even wrote one of my own called Outsmart Your Smartphone. It's science-based and will show you how to use technology in ways that increase happiness (and how not to). So I've got a pretty good idea of which are the best happiness books—the happiness books that are most closely based on research yet are easy to apply in real life. So here's my list of the top 21 happiness books.

Top 21 Happiness Books​

1. The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living

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Through conversations, stories, and meditations, the Dalai Lama shows us how to defeat day-to-day anxiety, insecurity, anger, and discouragement. Together with Dr. Howard Cutler, he explores many facets of everyday life, including relationships, loss, and the pursuit of wealth, to illustrate how to ride through life's obstacles on a deep and abiding source of inner peace. 

Video: Learn more about The Art of Happiness

2. The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life

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Conventional wisdom holds that once we succeed, we’ll be happy; that once we get that great job, win that next promotion, lose those five pounds, happiness will follow. But the science reveals this formula to be backward: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around.
 
Drawing on his original research—including one of the largest studies of happiness ever conducted—and work in boardrooms and classrooms across forty-two countries, Achor shows us how to rewire our brains for positivity and optimism to reap the happiness advantage in our lives, our careers, and even our health.

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3. Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness​

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New York Times bestselling author Dr. Rick Hanson shows you how to develop twelve vital inner strengths hardwired into your own nervous system in his new book Resilient. Then no matter what life throws at you, you’ll be able to feel less stressed, pursue opportunities with confidence, and stay calm and centered in the face of adversity. 

4. The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living: A Guide to ACT

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Russ Harris explains that the way most of us go about trying to find happiness ends up making us miserable, driving the epidemics of stress, anxiety, and depression. This empowering book presents  the insights and techniques of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), a revolutionary new psychotherapy based on cutting-edge research in behavioral psychology. 

Video: Learn more about The Happiness Trap

5. The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want

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You see here a different kind of happiness book. The How of Happiness is a comprehensive guide to understanding the elements of happiness based on years of groundbreaking scientific research. It is also a practical, empowering, and easy-to-follow workbook, incorporating happiness strategies, exercises, new ways of thinking, and quizzes for understanding our individuality, all in an effort to help us realize our innate potential for joy and ways to sustain it in our lives. ​

6. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

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In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.

Video: Review of ​The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

7. The Stress-Proof Brain: Master Your Emotional Response to Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity

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Modern times are stressful—and it’s killing us. Unfortunately, we can’t avoid the things that stress us out, but we can change how we respond to them. In The Stress-Proof Brain, a clinical psychologist and neuroscience expert offers an original approach to help readers harness the power of positive emotions and overcome stress for good.

8. The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun

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In this lively and compelling account—now updated with new material by the author—Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference.

9. The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative

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From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships.

10. True You: A Self-Discovery Journal of Prompts and Exercises to Inspire Reflection and Growth​

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Empower yourself to discover who you are, what you love, and what you desire out of life. True You is a beautifully illustrated self discovery journal that combines thought-provoking prompts and creative exercises to help you gain meaningful introspection and unlock your potential.

11.  The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

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​Jonathan Haidt skillfully combines two genres-philosophical wisdom and scientific research-delighting the reader with surprising insights. He explains, for example, why we have such difficulty controlling ourselves and sticking to our plans; why no achievement brings lasting happiness, yet a few changes in your life can have profound effects, and why even confirmed atheists experience spiritual elevation. In a stunning final chapter, Haidt addresses the grand question "How can I live a meaningful life?," offering an original answer that draws on the rich inspiration of both philosophy and science.

12. Activating Happiness: A Jump-Start Guide to Overcoming Low Motivation, Depression, or Just Feeling Stuck​

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It’s not just big choices that can radically change our lives—sometimes it’s the small ones. Activating Happiness offers powerful, evidence-based strategies to help you conquer low motivation, nix negative moods, and defeat depression by actively making positive choices in small, everyday moments.

13. Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence

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Life isn’t easy, and having a brain wired to take in the bad and ignore the good makes us worried, irritated, and stressed, instead of confident, secure, and happy. But each day is filled with opportunities to build inner strengths and Dr. Rick Hanson, an acclaimed clinical psychologist, shows what you can do to override the brain’s default pessimism.

14. The Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good

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Gratitude is powerful: not only does it feel good, it’s also been proven to increase our well-being in myriad ways. The result of a multiyear collaboration between the Greater Good Science Center and Robert Emmons of the University of California, Davis, The Gratitude Project explores gratitude’s deep roots in human psychology—how it evolved and how it affects our brain—as well as the transformative impact it has on creating a meaningful life and a better world.

15. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

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What would it be like to free yourself from limitations and soar beyond your boundaries? What can you do each day to discover peace of mind and serenity? The Untethered Soul offers simple yet profound answers to these questions.

16. The Kindness Cure: How the Science of Compassion Can Heal Your Heart and Your World

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It’s time for a kindness revolution. In The Kindness Cure, psychologist Tara Cousineau draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to show how simple practices of kindness—for ourselves, for others, and for our world—can dissolve our feelings of fear and indifference, and open us up to a life of profound happiness.

17. The Self Compassion Workbook: Practical Exercises to Approach Your Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions with Kindness

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Are you a perfectionist? Do you have a tough time quieting your inner critic? It can be easy to fall into patterns of self-criticism when we feel uncertain―but self compassion is about building a new mindset, embracing the moment, and letting go of the responsibility to handle every obstacle. This workbook is packed with an array of exercises and strategies designed to ground yourself in self compassion and confidently build the life that you want.

18. Stumbling on Happiness

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In this brilliant, witty, and accessible book, renowned Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert describes the foibles of imagination and illusions of foresight that cause each of us to misconceive our tomorrows and misestimate our satisfactions. With penetrating insight and sparkling prose, Gilbert explains why we seem to know so little about the hearts and minds of the people we are about to become.

19. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being

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​While certainly a part of well-being, happiness alone doesn’t give life meaning. Seligman now asks, What is it that enables you to cultivate your talents, to build deep, lasting relationships with others, to feel pleasure, and to contribute meaningfully to the world? In a word, what is it that allows you to flourish? “Well-being” takes the stage front and center, and Happiness (or Positive Emotion) becomes one of the five pillars of Positive Psychology, along with Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment—or PERMA, the permanent building blocks for a life of profound fulfillment.

20. The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?

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As one of the bestselling nonfiction books in history, with more than 35 million copies sold, and more than 70 translations available, The Purpose Driven Life is far more than just a book; it's the road map for your spiritual journey. A journey that will transform your life.

21. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

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Daring Greatly is not about winning or losing. It’s about courage. In a world where “never enough” dominates and feeling afraid has become second nature, vulnerability is subversive. Uncomfortable. It’s even a little dangerous at times. And, without question, putting ourselves out there means there’s a far greater risk of getting criticized or feeling hurt. But when we step back and examine our lives, we will find that nothing is as uncomfortable, dangerous, and hurtful as standing on the outside of our lives looking in and wondering what it would be like if we had the courage to step into the arena—whether it’s a new relationship, an important meeting, the creative process, or a difficult family conversation.

Video: Brene Brown talks about Daring Greatly

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