100 Years of Happiness—Insights and Findings from the Experts

Should happiness be the goal of life? Is it possible to measure happiness? This work for general readers and undergraduates summarizes 13 books written about happiness over the past century. The section on insights from philosophers and others looks at four books: two published at the turn of the century and two in the early 20th century. These books offer insights from traditional Western philosophy and the newly emerging social sciences, including psychology. The second section focuses on 20th and 21st century research findings, reviewing six books by psychologists and economists. The third section highlights three recent books that stand outside the mainstream of happiness studies. Two take a critical view of the contemporary literature on happiness, and the third offers an objective review of theories about happiness. Carlin directs the Medical Humanities and Ethics Certificate Program at The University of Texas. Capps is professor emeritus of pastoral psychology at Princeton Theological Seminary. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Nathan Carlin, PhD, is director of the Medical Humanities and Ethics Certificate Program at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, TX.

Donald Capps, PhD, is William Harte Felmeth Professor of pastoral theology (emeritus) and adjunct professor of pastoral theology at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ.