Happiness

In this new edition of his landmark book, Richard Layard shows that there is a paradox at the heart of our lives. Most people want more income. Yet as societies become richer, they do not become happier. This is not just anecdotally true, it is the story told by countless pieces of scientific research. We now have sophisticated ways of measuring how happy people are, and all the evidence shows that on average people have grown no happier in the last fifty years, even as average incomes have more than doubled. In fact, the First World has more depression, more alcoholism and more crime than fifty years ago. This paradox is true of Britain, the United States, continental Europe, and Japan. What is going on? Now fully revised and updated to include developments since first publication, Layard answers his critics in what is still the key book in 'happiness studies'.

ISBN 0241952794   Pages 384 ISBN13 9780241952795 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 281 Publisher Penguin Books Ltd   Published in London Imprint Penguin Books Ltd   Height (mm) 198 Format Paperback   Width (mm) 129 Publication date 07 Apr 2011   Spine width (mm) 22 DEWEY 330.01   Academic level General DEWEY edition DC22

Unorthodox, devastatingly straightforward and more provocative of actual thought than 90% of books said to be "thought-provoking". If happiness isn't a political issue, what's the point of politics? -- Andrew Marr A remarkable book ... which effectively trashes the claim of economics to guide policy for a good society ... read it, and take heart -- Simon Caulkin Observer Fascinating ... argues that we should make happiness, not growth, the object of our economic policies -- John Kay Financial Times

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