The Happiness Files by Arthur C. Brooks

THE HAPPINESS FILES by Arthur C. Brooks offers “Insights on Work and Life” and is based on the popular essays he has written for a weekly column in The Atlantic. Amongst other full-length titles, Brooks wrote From Strength to Strength and he teaches classes on happiness from a scientific perspective (encompassing neuroscience, social psychology, and behavioral economics) at Harvard Business School. Brooks has divided his newest title into sections On Managing Yourself; On Jobs, Money, And Building Your Career; On Communicating and Connecting with Others; On Balancing Work Life and Relationships; and, finally, On How You Define Success. The thirty-three essays are generally five or six pages in length and deal with topics like exhibiting leadership, setting boundaries, promoting value, developing relationships, and establishing purpose and direction. THE HAPPINESS FILES is very well-written, action-oriented, and quite accessible. In completing book reviews, I have been exploring the ideas dealing with well-being and happiness from Brooks and others and writing about them for years. THE HAPPINESS FILES would be a great book to read and discuss as a group, perhaps choosing an essay a week as the focus.