THE 48 LAWS OF HAPPINESS

A filmmaker and author provides advice for improving happiness and life satisfaction.

In this debut self-help book, Carpenter takes readers through 48 “laws” he says apply to happy people. Each chapter includes Carpenter’s interpretation of the rule in question (such as “True Happiness Comes From Learning To Live for an Audience of One”) along with recommendations for implementing it in everyday life; a first-person anecdote, submitted to Carpenter by a reader (“Jonique from Jamaica wrote to me about her experience with a worst-case scenario mindset”), that illustrates the concept in action; and a review of the topic that concludes with a link to the relevant page on Carpenter’s website. The chapters cover aspects of happiness related to emotional regulation, relationships, career, and physical health, among other themes. Appendices address happiness-related hormones and suggestions for improving happiness through clothing, decor, and music. Carpenter is a strong writer, and his enthusiasm for sharing positive behaviors with others and encouraging readers to pursue their own sources of joy is evident throughout the book. The anecdotes come from people around the world, providing a global context for creating contentment as well as reflecting the universality of problems with self-esteem, misjudgment, and personal growth. Frequent endnotes point readers to citations for further reading, but the associated text is often so general (“Statistically we will spend a lot more time with [co-workers] than our friends and family”) that the citations seem somewhat superfluous while other more debatable statements (“Read for 6 minutes. It can reduce your stress levels by almost 70%”) go uncited. The advice here—develop a strong sense of self; maintain a positive attitude; form connections with others—will not be new to readers of the self-help genre, but Carpenter’s encouraging narrative voice and profound sense of empathy will make this collection of truisms an enjoyable book for many readers.

A heartfelt, cleareyed guide to fostering a sense of well-being.