Eric Weiner's "The Geography of Bliss: A Grump's Search for the World's Happiest Places"

Pradeep: You can read it if you want to pass your time while traveling, waiting for someone or bored.

India on Nov 16, 2023

Krisella Leov: Found this so interesting and funny at times

Australia on Nov 14, 2023

KaraKara: I ordered the book named The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. When I order book from online I am always afraid to get a book with a bad condition but it wasn’t the case for my order. The condition was great and it was quickly shipped.

United States on Oct 18, 2023

mandakini: The book gives namy chuckles...but the lessons on happiness are good and
concise. I finished reading within a few days.. so maybe thats why i found reading about happiness becoming stretchy..but it happened only once..all on all good read!

India on Oct 14, 2021

Gregory S.: This is a delightful book, in turns, witty, very entertaining, and yet thoughtful. I have bought several copies over the last few years, to give it to friends. Weiner explores ideas like the country happiness index, and through a series of observations about different places -- including Bhutan, Iceland, India, and Slough, England, and interviews with locals, and with experts, comes to a series of conclusions about what makes the people in a place happy. His answers are surprising, for it's not only the obvious things such as prosperity, but a sense of connectedness. He rates people in Iceland as very happy, for example, because despite its often inhospitable climate, and long dark winter nights, everyone in the country feels related, a relative of someone in the government, or of someone famous. Also, many Icelanders have hobbies, such as playing music, and they don't feel that they must be the best, but only that they should enjoy these past-times. Everyone who has received a copy from me loved it. A friend two weeks ago, thanked me for it and said it gave him the travel bug!

Canada on Oct 04, 2016

Anonymous: I don't often laugh out loud when reading something, but Eric Weiner managed to not only make me smile like an idiot but actually laugh! As an avid traveler (to many of the same places as the author) this book resonated on a personal level with me. The description of people and the general vibe of places is so on point it brought back many memories. Though I might not agree with every statement made, I could identify with the author and have found myself inspired to keep my eyes open to keys of happiness in our everyday lives.
I recommend this book for an easy quick weekend-away read. It will make you smile and remind you to appreciate life in general and the great privileges we have these days as global-travelers. The book has become one of my go-to feel-good books for those times when the daily routine starts wearing you down and the next vacation seems years away.

Germany on Jul 29, 2015

Andy Orrock: I listened to the Audio CD version of Eric Weiner's book. If this piece of work in any way intrigues you, take my advice and opt for the audio version. It's a very enjoyable compilation of Eric's world happiness tour made even more enjoyable when read to you in the author's own voice. Those familiar with his work on NPR know his friendly radio voice...a voice welcome even when reporting from the most inhospitable of places. In his self-narration, you get the full effect of the book's often deadpan humor. He makes his interactions come alive with nice impressions of the other parties. You can hear the hearty skepticism he imparts in places...as well as the enthusiasm with which he laces other tales.

Don't believe the 'Grump' part in the sub-title. No grumpy misanthrope would get out and meet such a surprising range of people the way Weiner does in these experiences. Despite the self-described grumpy persona, Weiner clearly likes people. That's important because - as he points out in the book's epilogue - one of his chief takeaways (culled from his Bhutan experience) is that happiness is 'relational,' not personal. It doesn't spring organically from within: it comes instead...

United States on Jun 16, 2012

Camber: If you're interested in the study of happiness, this book is for you. If you're interested in cultural geography, this book is also for you. And if you're interested in both of these subjects (like me), this book may very well be a dream come true for you, the kind of book you always wished someone would write, but doubted that it would happen.

This is actually one of the very best books I've ever come across on ANY subject. Eric Weiner is a spellbinding storyteller who kept me on the edge of my seat as I listened to his tales of world travels in a quest to understand happiness. Along the way, he effortlessly draws on an impressive erudition as he seamlessly weaves in insights not only from the "science" of happiness, but also a diverse range of relevant philosophy (both Western and Eastern) and other disciplines. And last but not least, though he claims that he's unhappy and calls himself a grump, he's very likable, very witty, and VERY funny!

While it would be great if Weiner could end the book by presenting a simple magic key to happiness, those of us who have already traveled similar roads ourselves know that such an expectation/hope is probably unrealistic....

United States on Aug 10, 2009