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(More customer reviews)It is hard to ignore the large number of books written over the past few years on the nature of happiness. In the past year, I had an opportunity to read over a dozen of these "positive psychology" books and glance through quite a few more. Most of them summarize the same set of research studies on what makes people happy, why it is difficult to attain and sustain happiness, who is most and least likely to find happiness, and how these positive experiences can be cultivated. This led me to read Robert Emmons' latest book with some degree of trepidation. I wondered if "Thanks!" would offer anything new to my growing fascination of these topics. Even though I already knew a great deal about Emmons' work and the study of gratitude, I found this book to be remarkably interesting and a reservoir of compelling insights and practical tips. Let me detail a few reasons why this book offers something new and why it belongs on people's bookshelves.
First, many "positive psychology" books are written by therapists, counselors, teachers, journalists, and other people who read and summarize the writings of scientists. Their books often lack the enthusiasm, creativity, and wisdom that can only be found by those devoting their lives to a topic. Robert Emmons is the world's leading authority on gratitude. His research is responsible for much of what we know about gratitude. It becomes readily apparent that Robert Emmons has spent years thinking about gratitude, studying gratitude, talking to people about gratitude, and trying to understand how gratitude fits into the "big picture" of achieving lasting happiness in a world fraught with moments of pain, stress, and adversity. His passion and wisdom are evident on nearly every page. I could not imagine reading a book on gratitude written by anyone else.
Second, the information in this book is backed by scientific research. This is not a book based on the musings of one person or a few people who believe that gratitude is a good thing. It is also not based on a few studies conducted by one researcher. The information in this book is based on a careful summary of research conducted on thousands of people by a number of different researchers around the world. Taken together, these studies show that gratitude is one of the strongest contributors to happiness and meaning in life. But more than that, gratitude has been shown to strengthen people's social relationships, improve people's physical health, and motivate people to act in ways that enhances the quality of their moments, days, and lives. In addition to discussing his own research, Robert Emmons reviews and integrates the work of other researchers, philosophers, and literary minds. In a little more than 200 pages, "Thanks!" has quickly become the essential source of everything there is to know about gratitude (so far).
Third, it is spiritually uplifting. Emmons weaves in stories of real people sharing how gratitude played (or failed to play) a role in their lives. These stories add flesh, blood, and feeling to the wealth of science and wisdom in each chapter; they capture the true value of gratitude and the beauty of humanity. With these narratives and the easygoing writing style, it is easy to enjoy reading this book while outside in the grass on a lazy summer afternoon.
Whether your goal is intellectual stimulation, self-enhancement, or something in between, this book will make an immediate positive impact on your life.
Author of Curious?: Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life
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