This book is written by a Harvard Psychologist and is a compilation of research on happiness. It is not a self-help--it's a very realist portrayal of happiness. The thesis is basically that we don't know what makes us happy because of a variety of tricks our brain and memory play on us. We make great plans about the future based on how we think we will feel about certain things, but we are usually wrong about how we would actually feel about those things. The book includes some fascinating studies that I have thought about a lot since I read it.

The problem with the book is that his only solution is just to ask other people how they feel about something--that that is the best predictor about how you will feel. He basically says that people are more alike than different. While this is a great and interesting premise, it is not supported by any research like his earlier case for our incapacities regarding happiness. He just mentions it and moves on. All in all, a good read and highly recommended.