Overview

The virus, the war, the climate, inflation, poverty and loneliness make people feel insecure. In these troubled times, there is more interest than ever for what is truly important in life: happiness, hope and love. What does science teach us today? Are we still allowed to strive towards happiness? And how do we do that? Leo Bormans asked the same question over and over again to a hundred professors all over the world: established names and young up-and-comers. Every scientist briefly summarises their recent research after which they formulate their insights in one single sentence: the essence. To this they link at least three concrete pieces of advice: for our own lives, for our friends and for society. With contributions from the most prominent experts in positive psychology, such as: Prof. Martin Seligman (University of Pennsylvania), author of more than 20 international bestsellers and the founding father of positive psychology; Richard Easterlin (University of Southern California), one of the most respected and renowned authorities in happiness research, Prof. Sir Richard Layard (The London School of Economics), one of the most influential voices in the global study of happiness and well-being; and Jan-Emmanuel De Neve (Oxford University), editor of The World Report on Happiness (UN). AUTHOR: Leo Bormans travels around the world as an 'Ambassador of Happiness & Quality of Life'. He is a researcher, keynote speaker, author and editor-in-chief of The World Book of Happiness (first published in 2010) and The World Book of Hope (2015). He is a Distinguished Lecturer of Happiness Research at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam. SELLING POINTS: . Fully revised edition of the worldwide bestseller . Science-based practices and life-affirming insights to navigate today's reality . 100 scientists from 50 countries summarise their most recent findings 120 colour, 50 b/w illustrations

Full Product Details

Author:   Leo Bormans
Publisher:   Lannoo Publishers
Imprint:   Lannoo Publishers
Edition:   Revised edition
Dimensions:   Width: 19.50cm , Height: 2.00cm , Length: 25.00cm
Weight:   0.920kg
ISBN:  

9789020955392

ISBN 10:   902095539
Pages:   320
Publication Date:   01 November 2025
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Not yet available  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

THE ESSENCE The Penguin Moment – Leo Bormans 8 PROLOGUE Welcome to the New World – Richard Easterlin 12 Welcome to the New Book – Martin Seligman 14 The steady rise in negative emotions – Paul De Grauwe16 The World Report on Happiness – United Nations18 Serene shores: the happiest haven in the world – United Nations 20 Aaron Jarden – Australia – A personal notion27 Abieyuwa Ohonba – South Africa – The power of kindness 29 Alena Slezackova & Miroslav Svetlak – Czech Republic – Rising above adversity 30 Allesandra Tinto ao – Italy – The sense of democracy 32 Amsale Temesgen – Norway – Sustainable wellbeing 34 Amy Isham – UK – The winning combination 36 Andras Vargha – Hungary – The five pillars of mental health 40 Anna Pettini – Italy – The endless desire 42 Antonella Delle Fave – Italy – The experience of harmony 44 Arthur Grimes – New Zealand – Unleash your freedom, harness your joy 46 Attila Olah – Hungary – The golden card of mental health 48 Barbara Fredrickson – USA – Broaden & Build 50 Birger Poppel – Greenland and the Arctic Circle – Harsh environments 52 Carlos Castro – Mexico – Developing student wellbeing 54 Carol D Ryff – USA – Well-being is imperilled 56 Charles Martin-Krumm – France – The joy of learning 60 Charlie Azzopardi – Malta – The circularity of happiness 62 Chiara Ruini – Italy – Despite suffering 65 Christian Van Nieuwerburgh – Ireland & Australia – Supporting people to thrive 68 Daniel TL Shek – China – No man can live by bread alone 71 Danilo Garcia – Sweden & El Salvador – Personality and outlook 73 Dirk De Wachter – Belgium – The true sense of happiness 76 Dora Gudrun Gudmundsdottir – Iceland – The happiness construction 78 Elaine Duncan – United Kingdom – Vigour and vitality 80 Elena Pruvli – Estonia – Bridging the gap 82 Elena Stănculescu – Romania – The effects of social media 84 Ernst Bohlmeijer – The Netherlands – Psychological flexibility 86 Francesco Sarracino – Luxembourg – Post-growth happiness 88 Francis Munier – France – Friendly recognition91 Frank Martela – Finland – The government’s priority 94 Gerbert Bakx – Belgium – The logic of life 96 Giacomo Degli Antoni & Giuseppe Vittucci Marzetti – Italy – Giving matters 98 Habib Tiliouine – Algeria – Nurturing the mind and purifying the soul 100 Hans Henrik Knoop – Denmark – Our unifying struggle 103 Helena Hnilicova, Dagmar Dzurova & Michala Lustigova – Czech Republic – A long and happy life 106 Helena Marujo – Portugal – Public happiness 108 Heli T Koivumaa-Honkanen – Finland – The ‘happiest’ country 111 Ilios Kotsou – Belgium & France – Emotional skills 114 Ingrid Kuhlman – Iceland – Connecting with nature 116 Karma Ura – Bhutan – Gross National Happiness 119 Isabella Tater – France – Being happy at work is possible 122 Iva Solcova – Czech Republic – Sress-related growth 124 James Pawelski – USA – Arts, culture, and human flourishing 126 Jan Delhey – Germany – The triad of Having, Loving & Being 128 Joseph Sirgy – USA – The balanced life 130 Judith Mangelsdorf – Germany – Personal growth 132 Julianne Holt-Lunstad – USA – Loneliness and social connection 134 Kamlesh Singh – India – Global & Local 136 Lara Aknin – Canada – Instinctive kindness 138 Leon Garduno – Mexico – The happy few 140 Lina Martinez – Colombia – Mental health literacy 142 Liz Horvath – Canada – Smart working environments 145 Louise Chawla – USA – Footprints of delight 148 Louise Lambert – United Arab Emirates & Canada – Getting beyond ourselves 151 RELIGION AND HAPPINESS: THE INSIDER’S PERSPECTIVE 157 Christianity & Happiness – Koen Vlaeminck – Belgium 158 Islam & Happiness – Noraini Mohd Noor – Malaysia 160 Hinduism & Happiness – Doug Oman – USA 163 Buddhism & Happiness – Erik Hoogcarspel – The Netherlands 166 Judaism & Happiness – Jeremy Rosen – United Kingdom & USA 170 Maarten Vansteenkiste & Bart Soenens – Belgium – Essentials of human flourishing 174 Malgorzata Mikucka – Germany – Physical contact 178 Marc Fleurbaey – France – Social responsibility 180 Marc Schulz and Robert Waldinger – USA – Social fitness 182 Maria Sirois – USA – Happiness after loss 185 Marei Ahmed – France, Egypt & United Arab Emirates – Vitality, passion and sports 188 Mariano Rojas – Costa Rica & Mexico – A new narrative 190 Martijn Burger & Marloes Hoogerbrugge – The Netherlands – Urban or rural area? 192 Martin Binder – Germany – How perception shapes happiness 194 Mathieu Perona – France – It’s rarely as bad as it sounds 196 Meike Bartels – The Netherlands – The heritability of happiness 198 Michael Banissy – United Kingdom – Touch is the social glue 200 Miles Richardson – United Kingdom – Happiness is in our nature 202 Mohammed Al-Haj Baddar – Jordan – Good can be more, bigger and better 204 Namhee Kim & Inchoel Choi – Republic of Korea – A very ordinary happiness 206 Naoki Akaeda – Japan – Social capital and social policy 208 Naoki Sudo – Japan – Bridging the gap 210 Nic Marks – United Kingdom – Five steps to wellbeing 212 Ognen Spasovski – North Macedonia & Slovakia – Social comparison 216 Oliver Nahkur – Estonia – Children in turbulent times 218 Pamela Abott – Scotland – United Kingdom – The decent society 220 Pedro Tabensky – South Africa – Working with the clay of the given 222 Peter Malinowski – United Kingdom – Training our mind 224 Philip Streit – Austria – Strong and Positive 227 Pninit Russo-Netzer – Israel – A compass for meaning in life 230 Robert Biswas-Diener – USA – Happiness and hospitality 233 Qadir Nadery – Afghanistan & Belgium – Living without a future 236 Richard M Ryan – Australia & South-Korea – Human motivation 240 Samuel Ho – Hong Kong – People’s Republic of China – Posttraumatic growth 242 Sauwalak Kittiprapas – Thailand – Inner happiness 244 Sefa Bulut – Turkey – After the disaster 246 Seonga Kim – Republic of Korea – Economic, human and social capital 248 Sergeii Boltivets – Ukraine – The right to live 250 Shahe Kazarian Lebanon – Canada – Paradise lost 254 Shuyang Da – China – The leisurely life 258 Stefano Bartoni – Italy – Sharing is the golden thread 260 Stephanie Hess – Germany – Children’s happiness 262 Suzy Green – Australia – Coaching towards goals 264 Tal Ben-Shahar– USA – The natural wonder drug 266 Tania Singer – Germany – Resetting our brains268 Thomas Wilke – Germany – Sexual happiness 270 Tim Lomas – UK & USA – Balance and harmony 272 Valerie Moller – South Africa – Hope shapes your future 276 Vijay Kumar Shrotryia – India – Emotion, economy & education 278 Wolfgang Lutz – Austria – How to become a ‘happy’ country 280 EPILOGUE In search of a moral compass – Herman Van Rompuy 286 Growing knowledge – Ruut Veenhoven288 A Manifesto for well-being – Richard Layard 290 Whispered Wisdom: 600 life-transforming guiding steps 293 Redefining Happiness: The Crisis of the Penguin – Leo Bormans 294

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Leo Bormans travels around the world as an 'Ambassador of Happiness & Quality of Life'. He is a researcher, keynote speaker, author and editor-in-chief of The World Book of Happiness (first published in 2010) and The World Book of Hope (2015). He is a Distinguished Lecturer of Happiness Research at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam.

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