Happiness is an aspiration we all have. That’s why scientists have been trying for decades to figure out what makes people happy and how we can be happy most of the time. Happy people behave in a certain way.

On the other hand, it is a state of well-being that has inspired many authors, and is a subject that many books deal with about happiness and what brings us closer to it.

Fully recommended books on happiness

In this article we have prepared a list of books that can help you understand the complex phenomenon of happiness.

1. True happiness (Martin E. P. Seligman)

Seligman is known for his contributions to positive psychology and knowledge about how to be happier. This book offers an optimistic vision of life , always with the scientific backing, as there is a lot of research that can help you enjoy greater well-being.

  • To learn more about this book, click here.
  • Related article: “Martin Seligman: biography and theories in Positive Psychology”

2. Flow: a psychology of happiness (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi)

The flow state occurs when people do what they really want to do, because then they connect with themselves and time seems to stand still. The flow state means entering a state of full attention as we explain in our article: “Flow State: How to get your performance up to speed”.

This concept is intimately related to happiness, and in this text, the author exposes the keys to this state and explains what can be done to favor it . Undoubtedly, a great work.

  • On this page you will find more information.

3. The Habits of a Happy Brain (Loretta Graziano)

Happy people usually carry out a series of habits that keep them in this state. But what happens to our brain when we are happy? What chemical processes take place? This is what Loretta Graziano’s work aims to explain. A highly recommended book.

  • Are you interested in reading it? Click here if you want to know more about the book.

4. The Happiness Trap (Russ Harris)

The media are constantly sending us messages about happiness and, on many occasions, can spread irrational beliefs about this phenomenon . This is why this book is different from many of those dealing with this subject, because it focuses on how we can become obsessed with being happy, something that has a negative impact on our well-being and happiness. The author reviews the keys to being happy taking into account the principles of acceptance and commitment therapy.

  • On this page you will find more information about this work.
  • Related article: “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): principles and characteristics”

5. The Life That Blossoms (Martin E. P. Seligman)

Another work by Seligman that provides us with some teachings about happiness, because for this happiness to flourish it is necessary to water our day-to-day life and do things that allow us to live life in a resilient way even though sometimes the Sun does not rise. The book focuses on how to manage our emotions and achieve an emotionally intelligent personality.

  • You can get the book here.
  • Related article: “What are emotionally intelligent people like?”

6. Tripping over happiness (Daniel Gilbert)

This book was written by Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University. It revolves around how we make mistakes when trying to find happiness , and its content has the scientific backing of many investigations and years of study of this phenomenon. A text with good reviews that has managed to conquer its readers.

  • You’ll find more information about the book here.

7. Happiness. The Science Behind the Smile (Daniel Nettle)

There is a lot of research that has been carried out in recent decades with the aim of better understanding what happiness is and how we can be happier.

In this sense, there are many texts that have tried to compile the most interesting findings of this subject. In Happiness. The science behind the smile , the author makes an exhaustive review of this research on how our state of mind affects our brain .

  • Visit this page to learn more about the book.

8. The Science of Happiness (Sonja Lyubomirsky)

A text similar to the previous one but with a more practical approach. That is to say, this work provides advice and gives guidelines so that those interested can improve their well-being and feel better in relation to themselves.

  • You will find more information about the book by clicking here.

Is your bucket full? Strategies to Enhance Your Positive Emotions (Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton)

A text that focuses on those emotional states that make us enjoy life. From a positive view of psychology. This work offers strategies and knowledge to take advantage of it in our daily life: interpersonal relationships, work, life goals, etc.

  • You can click here for more information about the book.

10. Happiness is waiting for you (Andrew Weil)

A book that criticizes the medical model when it comes to treating happiness and provides a new approach. The author presents a great deal of knowledge with scientific backing on some oriental practices such as meditation, and how these affect people’s quality of life. Readers benefit from an 8-week program to achieve emotional well-being .

  • In this link you will find more information about the book.

11. Intelligent optimism: psychology of positive emotions (Mª Dolores Avia Aranda and Carmelo Vázquez Valverde)

Intelligent optimism is the opposite of false optimism, as you can see in the article: “False optimism: what is it and what are its negative effects? The fact is that, at least in part, our way of thinking influences how we feel, so we can learn to see life in a more positive light. This book goes into the keys that help to achieve this.

  • If you’re interested, you can get it here.

12. The Happiest Company in the World (David Tomás)

People spend many hours of the day at work, so welfare at work affects all areas of our lives. David Tomás, the author of this work, is the general manager of the Ciberclyck Group, considered the best company to work for in Spain. In this work he explains how it is possible to be a happy company , which not only affects positively the employees, but also the results of the organization.

  • To learn more about this book, click here.