Rating: 
Summary: You will be a happier person
Review: The moment I picked up this book, it became difficult for me to put it back down. Flipping and reading page after page, this little book has become somewhat of a 'handbook book' for being happy. Just by reading the title of this book is sufficient enough to tell you what to expect. Written by David Niven, Ph.D, this book is hardly those type of textbook styled books that people with PH.Ds usually pen out. Niven makes this book very reader friendly with simple English written to express some intense ideas. He talks about the simple things in life that we have either intentionally or unintentionally ignored that are right infront of us and we make noise and become unhappy about it. He illustrates life's little secrets with titles like Believe In Yourself, Pay Attention. You May Have What You Want, Laugh, Knows What Makes You Happy and Sad and among many other titles. There's nothing complicated about this book, which makes it such a wonderful read. It a fun and practical book filled with simple little secrets of how happiness can easily be yours forever. From simple explanations to detailed examples, this handy book teaches how you can have fun in your life instead of worrying over everything and nothing at the same time. Forget about reading psychological, sociological and all that other '-ological' books. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book. You'll be a happier person.
Rating:
Summary: I recommend it highly
Review: This book features advice, the science of happiness, and brief accounts of real people reaping the rewards of following these practices (or suffering the consequences if they do not). It is neither a boring, dry, technical textbook of psychology, nor is it a bouncy, meaningless, 'slogans and nonsense' typical self-help book. Instead, it is a very readable mix of scientific findings with a healthy dose of advice and examples. It is laid out with 100 separate entries, and can be read straight through or referred to now and again as way to pick yourself up or redirect your thoughts and efforts. If you are thinking about reading a book on this topic, I think this is the one that you will find the most useful.
Rating:
Summary: A pick me up I couldn't put down
Review: This book is really an easy to read, easy to use guide to happy practices, happy thoughts, happy lives. There are all kinds of interesting facts about happiness I learned, but it is written so that you don't need a degree in science to understand it. I recommend it if you want to feel happier, or just understand the subject better.
Rating: 
Summary: Well, Duh! I already knew THAT!
Review: This book's "scientifically proven" findings made me think it would contain something really life-changing or unheard-of. On the contrary, the book's advice couldn't be more cliched. Niven never says anything of real depth or quality. You don't learn. Each chapter is too short. As a result, the topics are way underdeveloped. Another problem: some chapter titles just don't relate to the content that follows. One that stands out especially is, "Turn off the TV." So turning off the television is REALLY going to make me happier?! Niven's point might be that doing so translates to quality time spent with family, friends, or simply oneself, but why target just TV? When I read the title, I anticipated reading about studies showing that TV viewing leads to increased incidence of depression, but no, that's not it at all. The chapter really has nothing to do with TV. Other chapters are similarly problematic.
A far better book--MUCH better--is "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff," by Richard Carlson, a book that truly changed my outlook and approach to everyday problems, and for me that's saying A LOT. That book makes you think and constantly presents a perspective the reader might never have considered.
Rating:
Summary: Comforting in trying times
Review: This easy to read book draws from more than 100 studies on what it takes to achieve happiness. I found that Niven makes a compelling and thought provoking research-based case about happiness. For example, the great importance of having a purpose in life is explained and illustrated. Rekindling past relationships and constantly cultivating new ones is discussed and stressed. The final chapter is titled, "What Does it All Mean, You Decide." It asserts that the effects of good and bad events quickly fade away. Happiness is not drawn from a sum of life events, but instead from what we make of those events. Common-sense, perhaps, but I found it quite comforting to me in these troubled times.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Thing to Do For Yourself
Review: This is a great book for anyone aspiring to heighten his or her level of happiness. It's a book that challenges the spirit, and asks the question; are you ready to jump into a life of happiness, or do you just want to sit on the sidelines? Several times while reading I felt convicted that I wasn't trying my hardest to be happy, when I was finished I felt like I knew what I could to become happier. This compilation of shorts is like a 365-day calendar, everyday a new page to gain inspiration from.
In my opinion it was an awesome anthology. The book was filled with short stories, research facts, and quotes to live by. It gave me an opportunity; happiness is in our lives we just have to reach out and grab it. I felt supported by a few of the stories I read throughout. There was a piece about religion and how you should never let your religious beliefs fade. There are always people out there trying to bring down someone's religious beliefs, this made me feel like I had someone else on my side.
The book fit into my life. It had the same type of facts in the book as there are in my life. There was another story that talked about being aggressive with your family or friends. Like arguing or just not expressing your feelings how you really feel or want to. Some of my friends tend to be aggressive and I feel like it puts up a barrier between us. When I read this it gave me insight on how to deal with these situations.
Rating:
Summary: The book that I was looking for
Review: This is a simple to read book with lots of helpful ideas toward happiness. Reading a few pages now and then keeps me focused on being positive(happy)
Rating:
Summary: Easy, simple techniques to improve your life
Review: This little book is full of scientifically documented, common-sense techniques to improve your general mood and outlook on life, whether you are already a happy-enough person or someone who struggles with depression and low self-esteem. Abraham Lincoln is said to have said something like: "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." This book can help you change your mind and your behavior to experience more happiness, more often, regardless of the actual circumstances of your life. Because there are 100 of them, even taking a few of these suggestions can make a big difference quickly. I recommend reading the whole thing through and then keeping it out where you can conveniently pick it up and read a page or a few, say, when you're placed on hold on the phone, or when you want to read a bit before bed. This is one self-help book that really works, really easily. I can't think of a better investment.
Rating:
Summary: Handy little book.....
Review: This was a gift and I cant say that it is a great book, but it is a good book to have on your bookshelf for those moments when you need a quick reminder of what works for those people who are upbeat and of the glass half full mindset. The book is basically hundreds of short stories that deal with everything from tragedies to get in the right mindset to making wise choices and keeping life in balance. That life is a classroom and a journey and challenges will always come our way and we have two choices. Either be of the hope for the best, plan for the worst mode or the head in the sand, don't think about it. It's a handy little book to keep in the car for those days or hours when you have a lot of waiting for appointments. Heck I think it would be a handy little gift for ones physician or a hospice or any group that deals with people going thru a difficult time. I liked chapter 16 Believe in Yourself and chapter 17 Don't Believe In Yourself To Much as well as Chapter 22 Pay Attention. You May Have What You Want. which states "We often forget to sit down and think about where we started and where we are now. The human tendency is to always want more. A better approach is to remember where you started and appreciate how much you have accomplished." And chapter 52 Never Trade Your Morals for your Goals which is so timely when one reads of the corruption in businesses that are going under. Chapter 88 is about Focus on What Really Matters to You and chapter 91 Don't Let Others Set Your Goals are good because they speak of how we can be grounded and do what is right as well as what is successful.
Rating:
Summary: A great way to brighten your day!
Review: What I like about this book is that gives you really solid information about the things happy people do. Some of the advice is so practical that you could use it, and benefit from it, this afternoon. Other entries focus on the long term practices of happy people. What's most important for me about this book is that it made me feel better, because it let me see many things I'm already doing right, and many more things I could do to feel better.
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