Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life

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Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life

by Gretchen Rubin (Goodreads Author)

3.4 of 5 stars 3.40 · rating details · 3,341 ratings · 635 reviews

In the spirit of her blockbuster #1 New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin embarks on a new project to make home a happier place.

One Sunday afternoon, as she unloaded the dishwasher, Gretchen Rubin felt hit by a wave of homesickness. Homesick—why? She was standing right in her own kitchen. She felt homesick, she realized, with love for home itself....more

Audio, 273 pages

Published September 4th 2012 by Random House Audio (first published September 1st 2012)

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The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Deborah Needleman

The Modern Girl's Guide to Life by Jane Buckingham

how to be an adult or something

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Mar 07, 2013 Mimi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Ehhhh. I don't know what I expected, but I wasn't impressed.

Side quibble: At several points in this book Rubin gives an example of her husband being a bit of a dick, then drives home some life lesson about how he doesn't mean to act dickish so she needs to respond with more love and attention and blah blah. To a small extent, sure: that's marriage sometimes. But on the other hand, how's about being less of a dick?

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Nov 20, 2012 Gabrielle W. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really didn't like this book. At times it was OK and I liked it, but most of the time (most of what I read) is common sense or something I already knew (i.e. don't hang onto possessions that don't make you happy. Don't roll your eyes. Under react to a problem. etc.) A lot of her realizations, I already knew about and I'm only 22....
She goes into dramatic details on things that don't need that much explaining. There are time in the book where she'll make her point and then tell you a story abou...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Lindsaygail rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, life-stories

I've read The Happiness Project several times now, and I always take away something more from it than I did in previous readings, so I was very excited to read Happier at Home. I was not disappointed. I love how Rubin finds ways to enjoy her life more without changing her life dramatically. And, being a homebody myself, I loved the focus of this book on making ordinary living more enjoyable and fulfilling by appreciating what you already have and working to make the home a happy place. I think t...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm lucky; I no longer need this. But my library had it displayed right at me, and I enjoyed the author's other Happiness book, so I grabbed it. So far I'm glad I did. Rubin writes so engagingly and amiably it's just a joy to sit down with her. And I've already got several book-darts in it noting ideas I want to remember.

In fact, I'm trying to read this a chapter or two at a time, in order to more fully absorb the ideas. I'll share a sample here, but there's lots more in the book - if these bit...more I'm lucky; I no longer need this. But my library had it displayed right at me, and I enjoyed the author's other Happiness book, so I grabbed it. So far I'm glad I did. Rubin writes so engagingly and amiably it's just a joy to sit down with her. And I've already got several book-darts in it noting ideas I want to remember.

In fact, I'm trying to read this a chapter or two at a time, in order to more fully absorb the ideas. I'll share a sample here, but there's lots more in the book - if these bits intrigue you, you def. have to read the whole work.

In the chapter on Possessions: I totally get 'Waldenlust.' I have longed for simplicity before it was fashionable to do so. At the same time, I agree with Rubin that there are some things we just like. And while I've had casual little 'shrines' already, I never thought about them the way she does for this book, and I'm glad she highlighted them the way she did.

Marriage: She's absolutely right that 'eye-rolling' is one of the top danger signs for a relationship. If you feel yourself rolling your eyes about your partner, check carefully for feelings of contempt. If you do have such feelings, you've got a problem you need to address.

And here's a quote that probably only makes sense in context, but I still want to note it for me: "Okay... The driving didn't make me happier, but successfully taking steps to conquer my fear made me very happy."

Parenthood: 'Underreact to a problem.' I know that, and have gotten fairly good at it. It's easier to implement on big occasional crises than on chronic annoyances, such as a forgotten book report vs. a forgotten shoe in the middle of the floor. Rubin didn't really help me find alternatives to nagging. But I've also long appreciated the 'fake it until you feel it' strategy and it does help a parent remain more patient, and more competent, and less likely to lash out.

Interior design: 'Resist happiness leeches.' Fortunately Rubin gives tips on how to cope if you can't avoid them, for example if they're long-time friends. Main idea, acknowledge, sympathize, but don't try to cheer them up as they'll dig in their heels. Also of interest: 'Abstainers vs. Moderators.' These are two different types of people, and if one person wants to quit cold turkey, the person who wants to taper off mustn't judge (or be judged) for believing her strategy more effective.

Time: I'm fortunate; I'm a homemaker with only one child left at home and I long ago learned to be efficient and to prioritize. So let me use this update to point out something about Rubin's work overall. Much of what she says we've heard or read before. Of course, for example, it makes sense to tackle big procrastinated projects one small step at a time. But Rubin writes so engagingly, so authentically, it's easier for us to actually follow through with all this good advice, and, more especially, to customize it for ourselves.

Body, Family, irrelevant to me. Two more chapters to go, don't expect much from them.

Neighborhood: Really, it took her decades to realize that she's the someone who can pick up the empty water bottle rolling around the train floor? And almost as long to fully appreciate how easy it is to have a staycation in NYC? (sigh) But unfortunately she's right that people don't trust random acts of kindness. Consider how difficult it is for me to get people to trust the principle of bookcrossing. Otoh, if we don't keep committing such acts, people will continue to be suspicious, because the meme won't catch on.

Now: 'Now is now.' So take the girls to the carousel, Gretchen. For pete's sake. Thanks for being candid that your 6 year-old has never been, but this is something that should be done at least once a year since you actually live in the city.

All in all, a worthy read. I do appreciate that she is so specific about what works for her, but recommends we figure out for ourselves what will specifically work for us. Mostly, though, for me at this time of my life (age 49) I'm just glad I'm done reading it and don't feel the need to go to her website or read further into her notes & bibliography.(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 Jamie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

I wanted to like this book. It actually makes me a little sad that I really don't. I found that this book is so close to being a carbon copy of The Happiness Project that I had a "haven't I read this before?" sensation throughout. I haven't read her blog regularly in ages, and I haven't read her other book in quite a while, but still I have the feeling--repeatedly--that I've read this before.

Many of the resolutions the author picked are the same or nearly the same as her previous resolutions. Wi...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Joan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Skimming this book I found myself impaled on a white picket fence. Bought this as a gift for a friend going thru a less than happy at home period. So glad I had it delivered to me, to add a card and note, maybe with a quote from the book. Like me, a very happy at home person, my friend is single w/o kids. The author gives a month each for 12 keys to being happier at home. Two months are devoted, pun intended, to husband, October, and kids, November. BTW, March is devoted to family. What a shame...more

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Jun 07, 2013 Maria M. Elmvang rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, 5-stars, non-fiction, memoir, owned

Fortunately I ended up enjoying this just as much as "The Happiness Project". I had wondered how much new stuff there would be to write on the subject, but I actually thought she managed quite nicely, and there were even some things I preferred about this book compared to THP (of course there were also some things I preferred about THP, but I had expected nothing else).

As the title indicates, this book focused on being happy at home. It wasn't about changing your life, it was about making your h...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Audrey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, self-help, listened-on-audio, memoir

I really liked this. I don't agree with everything covered, but there is definitely some great stuff discussed. I appreciated the practical tips and tidbits, the use of quotes (I love quotes), and the succinct and memorable one-liners she uses to summarize a key idea ("choose the bigger life," "act the way I want to feel," "make the positive argument," etc.). I often find these ideas running through my head. Many of these things almost seem obvious once they are pointed out, but I probably would...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Carmie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A couple of years ago, I read Gretchen Rubin's memoir and first offering on happiness, The Happiness Project. I was keenly interested in the topic of happiness, but I felt that her whole project was a little forced and contrived at first. I know that part of the problem is that I've read WAY too many books wherein the author takes on something really really hard for a year in hopes of self-improvement and then writes about it. I'm actually a sucker for these memoirs, but the stunt journalism asp...more A couple of years ago, I read Gretchen Rubin's memoir and first offering on happiness, The Happiness Project. I was keenly interested in the topic of happiness, but I felt that her whole project was a little forced and contrived at first. I know that part of the problem is that I've read WAY too many books wherein the author takes on something really really hard for a year in hopes of self-improvement and then writes about it. I'm actually a sucker for these memoirs, but the stunt journalism aspect here diminished the impact for me, but, then again, maybe it didn't after all.

I suppose I did let her ideas simmer for a couple of years because I found myself much more receptive to her second book on happiness, Happier at Home. Now much of her own discoveries on happiness are recycled in her new book (both books look remarkably similar and I'm sure it would be easy to mix them up), but that really didn't bother me much at all. I actually needed to see how those earlier changes from The Happiness Project had transformed her life for the happier. Some might conclude that Rubin is self-indulgent, but I really didn't see her that way. I really see a woman living more deliberately and discovering who she really is. Somehow, it's making all the difference in how she approaches life.

She drafts twelve personal commandments and Eight Splendid Truths (Check out her website for these) that guide her in living her life happily. Except for a few of her commandments, most of these aren't original, but she distills centuries of happiness writing to make it more accessible to the modern mind. She does approach happiness from a more secular avenue, but doesn't leave out faith in her happiness research. St. Therese of Lisieux, for example, became one of her biggest influences in happiness. There are a couple of these truths and commandments that are going to change my life in ways that make me both more deliberate and mindful so that I am happier too. I think happiness deserves some deep thought. Rubin definitely has done her homework and her insight on happiness is something worth considering.(less)

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May 28, 2013 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-books, non-fict, non-fic

I like this pretty well. I really enjoyed the first book by Rubin, The Happiness Project, quite a bit. This wasn't quite as engaging and at time her writing seems almost pouty and a tad too academic and self congratulatory. But overall i enjoy her tone and down to earth way of making small changes for big results. Did this one on audio, the book book didn't grab me.

Publishers Weekly Reviews
In her earlier book The Happiness Project, Rubin dedicated each month for a year to a theme (friendship,...more

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May 28, 2013 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: self-improvement

Some parts of this book I really liked and other sections I felt they were in there just to meet a writing quota. Here are a few random notes I wanted to remember from the book:

The best reading is re-reading

Focus on how to make a room meaniful, a place where people drift to in your home. Living room?

Outer order contributes to inner calm

Professional Organizers estimate that on average people spend an hour a day searching for things. Everything should have a home within your home. Another organi...more

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May 21, 2013 Shilpa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Loved this book. You have to read it for yourself...but here are the top things I learnt. (You can also access this on my blog: sukasareads.blogspot.com)

MISE EN PLACE, French for "everything in its place".

Mise en place is preparation, but it's also a state of mind. Nothing is more satisfying than working easily and well.

Having more order in my cabinets & closets made me feel as though I had more time in my day.

There's a surgeon's pleasure that comes from sheer order, from putting an objec...more

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May 09, 2013 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

I haven't read her earlier book, and she references it a lot, so I suppose if I had, this might seem redundant. But read by itself, it was interesting and fun. Details a year's worth of little projects and changes she makes by way of trying to increase happiness for herself and her family.

There is certainly the potential for it to be annoying -- she went to Yale Law School and worked for Sandra Day O'Connor before chucking the law to write (and then had a #1 best seller!), obviously has a decent...more

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May 01, 2013 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Some find Rubin too self-absorbed, but I really love how systematic she is about analyzing herself, and truly understanding what makes herself tick. She uses this understanding to figure out ways to increase her own happiness (which also increases the happiness of those around her). I love how she blends research into the field of happiness studies, with philosophy, history, and a lot of self-experimentation.

The chapters on "Possessions," (the point is to be thoughtful about what you keep and d...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Bess rated it 4 of 5 stars

UGHHHH. I hate goodreads. This is about the millionth time I have been halfway through writing my review & it disapears on me without saving or an option for undo. So now you get the readers digest summary. Think 7 habits of highly effective people only the audience is upper middle class women instead of employees in the workplace.

I liked many of her ideas, was annoyed by many of her stories (& ideas), found some perspectives insightful and others not within the realm of reality. She ha...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, audiobook, contemporary, nonfiction

A lot of people aren't going to like this book. They'll think that it's too preachy or that Rubin isn't "doing it right." But, I liked it. It's an interesting look at being happy and finding ways to be happy in your own life.
It is NOT a call-to-arms to be "happy in each and every moment dammit or you're not doing it right." It's also not a prescribed method that touts itself as a salve for the life of each and every person. Rather, it's a look at her own life, the fits and foibles of those arou...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Ricki Treleaven rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love how Rubin organized Happier at Home. Her nine chapters are divided according to the school calendar, beginning with September's Possessions. As a mom this makes perfect sense to me, and I also consider September as being a time for new beginnings. Other chapters include Family, Time, and Parenthood. My two favorite chapters are October's Marriage and April's Neighborhood. Rubin shares insight into her marriage and her commitment to being a more attentive wife. I found her decision to acti...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Kathleen rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm a bit addicted to the whole how-to-be-happy genre of books, and I really enjoyed Gretchen Rubin's first book on the subject, The Happiness Project.

At the same time, I don't really relate to Rubin's works in many ways. So many issues she addresses seem like the ultimate in First World Problems. Plus, I'm not someone who struggles with worrying about or seeking happiness: I have a pretty even temperament. At times in my life when I'm not happy, there's a lot going on that a) is pretty bad and...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Everyone in my profession loved Gretchen Rubin's first book, The Happiness Project, so I felt a little cowed by the enthusiasm and never reviewed it for fear of stepping on any toes. The first book was well-written, exceptionally well-researched, charming after a fashion, and so self-indulgent that I found myself talking back to the book as if I were talking to the characters in a TV show. The book made me feel, in the vernacular, very "Grrrarrr!"

So, maybe Rubin's become a better writer, but mor...more Everyone in my profession loved Gretchen Rubin's first book, The Happiness Project, so I felt a little cowed by the enthusiasm and never reviewed it for fear of stepping on any toes. The first book was well-written, exceptionally well-researched, charming after a fashion, and so self-indulgent that I found myself talking back to the book as if I were talking to the characters in a TV show. The book made me feel, in the vernacular, very "Grrrarrr!"

So, maybe Rubin's become a better writer, but more likely, I'm in a better place than I was in 2009 (my own personal annus horribilis). Back then, with health troubles, I found Rubin's complaints to be petty. Likely, I was also envious of her success -- professional, personal and in achieving an ineffable sense of being in a "good place." It's not a pretty thing to admit, but I'm not sure anyone's reading these reviews. :-) But, for whatever reason, I now find Rubin, her husband, her children, her little projects and even her foibles to be more endearing and less precious. I read the book straight through, without skipping and without adding snarky editorial comments. I read a library copy; I can see buying my own and rereading this again and again. I imagine starting similar projects with my own take on things.

The thing about Happier at Home, like The Happiness Project, is that while you can read it as a self-help book, you need not do so. It's also a bit of light memoir, philosophy, psychology and skilled reportage. If you have no desire for self-improvement but generally enjoy non-fiction, there's something here for you. The cheery (but not Pollyanna-ish) tone is uplifting, the peppering of famous (and not so famous) quotes is instructive, and I found myself Googling to learn more about a plethora of fascinating topics Rubin raised. (And now, I want to read her books about JFK and Churchill!)

I've already resolved to reread the first book, as I think being in a better, healthier frame of mind may give me a new perspective on Rubin and her writing. I somehow feel like I should buy her a mini-cupcake or Tasti D-Lite as an apology for having not appreciated her before.(less)

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Jan 11, 2013 Gillian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

I like Gretchen Rubin's writing style a lot. I have always enjoyed when writers show that they are also readers and offer quotes from their favorite pieces. She does that a lot. I think that I enjoyed the Happiness Project (her first of this "series") more only because it was a little more fleshed out... more months, and more information. Sometimes I longed for more details in this book, more examples, and sometimes I felt let down or wanting. I was glad that she (though very briefly) mentioned...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Alison rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: half-read

Oof... I could not get into this book; a shame since I liked the first one. This one felt repetitious (from the first book) and *much* less scientific. It felt more like Gretchen's opinions about things and ideas of what she wanted to tackle -- without solid indication of a base in research about why she chose the topics that she did; it seemed like she just said "okay, I'm going to do these nine things!" -- not particularly convincing to me.

To be fair, I only read up to the middle of the first...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Mandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed Rubin's first book, The Happiness Project. I thought it was interesting to approach happiness as something you could chart out on a spreadsheet, write reports about, measure and therefore, eventually attain. Of course happiness isn't like that, but a lot of us wish it were, thus the popularity of the first book. And I did start buying and storing more paper towels and toilet paper after reading the first book, as I realized that I was an underbuyer, and that underbuying could create st...more I enjoyed Rubin's first book, The Happiness Project. I thought it was interesting to approach happiness as something you could chart out on a spreadsheet, write reports about, measure and therefore, eventually attain. Of course happiness isn't like that, but a lot of us wish it were, thus the popularity of the first book. And I did start buying and storing more paper towels and toilet paper after reading the first book, as I realized that I was an underbuyer, and that underbuying could create stress and unhappiness. I also went out and bought more plain t-shirts based on her advice in the first book, as I realized I was constantly reaching for one, or saving one for later in the week when I would need it for a certain outfit. That was good advice.

However, after reading Happier at Home, I realize that I can no longer take advice from Gretchen Rubin. In her first book, I thought she came across as refreshingly honest about her life. In this book, I thought she came across as someone who was difficult to live with, snaps at her daughters regularly and who doesn't seem to know how to have fun. I realized that I actually am happier at home than she comes across. For instance, right now I am sitting in my cozy living room with my peppermint candle burning, with one dog licking her paw and the other dog jealously guarding her new Christmas squeaky toy. My daughter is sitting here on the floor in front of me singing songs from Les Miserable off of her IPhone, and I have a bag of chocolate candy that I'm dipping into. There is a light dusting of snow outside, but only on the trees and grass and not on the roads, so it's pretty but not hazardous, plus I'm chilling and writing book reviews for Goodreads. To me, this is a happy evening at home and easy to create.

I don't have a problem with Gretchen being uber rich and not mentioning it, as money can't buy happiness. But after reading the book, I realized that she doesn't participate in a lot of the things that most people enjoy, such as traveling, trying new foods, shopping, eating dessert, having a drink now and then, having a pet. Well those are very basic things that add richness, variety and dare I say happiness to most people's lives. Why would I take advice on how to find happiness from someone who shuns most of the tried and true methods that we've already established add joy to everyday lives? I thought the example of her trying to get her husband to agree to go on a monthly adventure kind of a sad story...he just wouldn't go along with it and she just gave up on it, saying they were probably too busy. And then the admission that they never took their daughters to the carousel in Central Park, and how they thought they should do it, but then she writes that they still never actually got around to it. That's when I realized that Gretchen and her hubby just march to the beat of a different drummer and I cannot relate to their inability to get themselves out of the same old same old and have some fun.(less)

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Dec 28, 2012 Mike Vardy rated it 3 of 5 stars

As a writer and a stay-at-home parent, Happier at Home really resonated with me. Rubin strives to make her home as pleasant a place as possible through measurable means and provides a guideline (and guidance) for the rest of us. Much like A.J. Jacobs has done in his work, Rubin acts as a sort of “guinea pig” for the readers, so that we can see what can happen if we follow through with an experiment like this. And in this case, an experiment like this one well worth giving a try. No matter whethe...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Lynh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Gretchen Rubin! I both think we would be very good friends but also you and I would find each other annoying! Why? Well You are kind of picky and finicky. And your problem with driving made me laugh because you live in NYC and could easily deal without a car.

An aside-I find it funny that your sister laughed when you told her you were approaching this life with a project management perspective. (Perhaps mixing book content here). All the same, you are wonderfully weird and GRETCHEN. Thanks for b...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars

I received happier at home as a first reads giveaway. I was excited to receive the book, and had been thinking about picking up her previous book before. The book started out well enough, and I was excited to learn some little tips to make my home a happier place. My home is a pretty happy place... But we have only been here a year, and have a lot to do as far as decorating and making the place more "homey". Anyways.... I don't feel that the books was true to its title. There were a few obvious...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Stacey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobooks

Fans of the show Ally McBeal will know what I'm talking about when I say "smile therapy": this is when John's therapist recommended that he smile more, and it would result in a general sense of well-being. What it actually resulted in was him walking around with a crazed grin and dead eyes as he braved his day's horrors as an attorney. I bring this up because a) Gretchen Rubin is a Yale-educated attorney who almost certainly once watched Ally McBeal and b) a lot of her advice boils down to this:...more Fans of the show Ally McBeal will know what I'm talking about when I say "smile therapy": this is when John's therapist recommended that he smile more, and it would result in a general sense of well-being. What it actually resulted in was him walking around with a crazed grin and dead eyes as he braved his day's horrors as an attorney. I bring this up because a) Gretchen Rubin is a Yale-educated attorney who almost certainly once watched Ally McBeal and b) a lot of her advice boils down to this: act happy, be happy. There is a nugget of truth to that, but only insofar as you are in Rubin's camp--that is, relatively happy to begin with.

I am in her camp, so enjoyed the book since I can take her little first-world-problems pieces of wisdom and apply them to my own life--like, Jeez, what do I do with all those Shutterfly pictures that are totally wrecking my buzz? If you are on ANY LEVEL seriously unhappy, this is not the book for you. Rubin is a Happiness Junkie. I read her first book somewhat mandatorily for my book club, and liked it enough to pick up this one. But seriously, how happy can one woman get? Half of her book is talking about how "grateful" she is, and how amazing her life is, and how she wants to appreciate that. Then she goes on to devote entire chapters to how to spend more time with her children. Here's an idea: stop writing about happiness all the frickin time! I keep picturing her kids in a psychiatrist's office in twenty years, like, "My mom was obsessed with happiness and I never got enough attention! Now I'm a stripper!"

Anyway, this is all an ad hominem argument, where I have issue with the somewhat irritating author and not her content. The content I actually find helpful, and I do appreciate that this self-helpy book is quite literary and well-researched; she quotes from Voltaire and Samuel Johnson and Thoreau, which makes me feel less guilty about reading her book instead of one of theirs.

Also, she recommends making resolutions--PLURAL--to help stay on track with your own happiness attainment. Cripes, I can't keep ONE resolution through January 3rd. But overall, I like her perspective, and that it gives me perspective. She's a good writer, and even if her ideas don't resonate with you, a lot of her sociology/psychology examples are fun knowledge to have at parties--you know, those things that happy people go to.(less)

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Nov 09, 2012 Alex Templeton rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. I certainly have to say, I envy the life Gretchen Rubin has carved out for herself. She makes a living by figuring out how to live her life more fully! I don't know about you, but I would love to spend the majority of my time figuring out what makes me happy and then doing those things. OK, I'm coming off as a bit bitter here, and probably sound as if I actually didn't enjoy the book at all, the same way I enjoy Real Simple magazine (where, lo, I first read about Rubin's first book, "...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Kasey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: domesticity, nonfiction

Honestly, I felt cranky about this book before I started it. I had just finished reading an Amazon review that's largely about how rich Gretchen Rubin is (husband is a partner is a hedge fund, they own a big apartment in upper Manhattan, etc. etc.). The reviewer was annoyed by this, and, weirdly and surprisingly, I was too. Why? She has just as much of a right to write a book about happiness as anyone else does, I know. I think it's because Rubin never, ever acknowledges how more-than-comfortabl...more Honestly, I felt cranky about this book before I started it. I had just finished reading an Amazon review that's largely about how rich Gretchen Rubin is (husband is a partner is a hedge fund, they own a big apartment in upper Manhattan, etc. etc.). The reviewer was annoyed by this, and, weirdly and surprisingly, I was too. Why? She has just as much of a right to write a book about happiness as anyone else does, I know. I think it's because Rubin never, ever acknowledges how more-than-comfortably-off she and her family are. She does write about money (and lots of what she writes seems very astute), but she doesn't ever admit to not having the problem with money that most of the world's population does have, i.e. not having enough of it. She writes about having quit her law job in order to write full-time--and it's not that I don't applaud this, but she never says anything about how much easier this sort of move is when you have a husband with a lucrative job, a husband who can support you and your two children while you make a major career change. And this secretiveness about her family's socio-economic status feels disingenuous to me. Of course it's possible that her editor told her not to include any information about her family's income... but it made me annoyed with Rubin, and made me look back on The Happiness Project, which I loved, in a less trusting, less favorable light.

But then I started to read, and I forgave Gretchen Rubin almost immediately. She really has that sort of voice--she writes like someone I'd love to have coffee with. She's self-deprecating, funny, well-read, and thoughtful. She's quite honest about other not especially attractive aspects of her life/personality; she writes about how often she snaps at her kids and makes "mean faces," how often she criticizes (if only internally) and nags her husband. Her prose is so easy to read, and at the same time it's laced with fascinating ideas culled from science, philosophy, and literature.

This book is a bit repetitive, and feels a bit thin compared to The Happiness Project--hence the four stars. But, to be fair, lots of the info that gets repeated is helpful and important and deserving of repetition. "Be Gretchen," for example, which Rubin repeats over and over, is really the cornerstone of this book: the idea that so much happiness lies in truly being ourselves... and how surprisingly difficult it is to do that. In terms of practical advice, I loved the sections about reading the manual, creating shrines, paying attention to what you love. Rubin's example of the latter is art... she writes about how she always felt she SHOULD love art more, and then finally figured out there is a genre of art she loves naturally, without trying--miniatures. Once she focuses on what she genuinely enjoys, projects and good energy follow with ease. This is great advice. As are her discussions about being a tourist in your own town, enjoying good smells... I could go on and on. I'm happy to be able to write such a happy review of this book, instead of the cranky one I was planning on.(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Eva rated it 3 of 5 stars

A solid book, though it didn't feel very new, given its predecessor. Some kindle quotes:

home is a place of unconditional belonging, which is part of its pleasure, part of its pain—as Robert Frost wrote, home is “Something you somehow haven’t to deserve.”Read more at location 102

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Accept myself, and expect more of myself. Give myself limits to give myself freedom.Read more at location 175

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Plan ahead to be spontaneous; only with careful preparation do I feel carefree.Read more...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Nada rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com...

Happier at Home is a follow up to Gretchen Rubin's book, The Happiness Project. The Happiness Project works on the premise that although Gretchen is content in her life, the prospect for being happier exists if she makes a conscious effort. This seems necessary because she feels her focus is not on the things in her life that make her happy.

Happier at Home applies the same principle to her home and home life including the...more

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About Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin is the author of the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, Happier at Home and The Happiness Project--accounts of her experiences test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific studies, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. On her popular blog, The Happiness Project, www.happiness-project.com, she reports on her daily adventures in the pursuit of happi...more

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Books by Gretchen Rubin

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

Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill: A Brief Account of a Long Life

The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal: A Five-Year Record

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“I am living my real life, this is it. Now is now, and if I waited to be happier, waited to have fun, waited to do the things that I know I ought to do, I might never get the chance.” — 3 people liked it

“It struck me as poignant that my long relationship with my beloved grandparents could be embodied in a few small objects. But the power of objects doesn't depend on their volume; in fact, my memories were better evoked by a few carefully chosen items than by a big assortment of things with vague associations.” — 2 people liked it

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title link	preview: Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life
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