Top 25 Books About Joy Updated 04 /2024

What makes us happy? What is happiness?

In our lives, we're likely to have asked this question at some point.

It's hard to tell if someone is truly happy. Some of the best books on happiness and joy came from people who know what they're talking about.

Here are their top picks:

The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama

In The Art of Happiness, a book written by psychiatrist and happiness expert Dr. Howard Cutler, he shares meditations, stories from his interviews with the Dalai Lama, and a systematic way to be happy based on Buddhist teachings.

Among the lessons from the book is that the Dalai Lama places a high value on compassion. He says that by training our hearts and minds, and by actively practicing empathy and compassion, anyone can be happy, no matter what their situation is.

The Art of Happiness is a well-known book that teaches people how to stay calm in the face of life's biggest problems.

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris

In his best-selling memoir, 10 percent Happier, Dan Harris talks about how the relentless voice in his head both propelled him through the hard work of broadcasting and caused him to have a panic attack on national TV.

Harris has a lot of wisdom and a lot of humor when he talks about how he tamed that voice, reduced stress without losing his edge, and found self-help that works through meditation.

This book is a must-read for anyone who is skeptical about meditation and wants to know why this ancient practice has become a scientifically-backed way to be happy.

Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices by Thich Nhat Hanh

An easy-to-read book called Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices by author and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh shows you how to be more mindful when you're doing things like breathing, walking, sitting, and even talking on the phone.

Thich Nhat Hanh says that only by being in the present moment can we cut through the mind's endless worries and become open to true happiness.

Though the book is based on Buddhist teachings, it can be read by both spiritual and non-spiritual people.

Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices lets us carry one of the world's most famous teachers with us at all times. We can learn from him at any time of the day.

The Happiness Trap by Dr. Russ Harris

This book by Dr. Russ Harris is called "The Happiness Trap." In it, he talks about four common happiness myths, and he explains how the search for happiness often leads us to even more pain.

This book is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which is a scientifically proven mindfulness-based behavioral therapy that takes a very different approach to the search for happiness.

Readers learn how to identify their core values and become more mindful in order to lessen the effect that bad thoughts and emotions have on their daily lives. In this book, cutting-edge techniques are used to help people get out of the happiness trap and build a life that has meaning, purpose, and happiness.

Soon after you open The Happiness Trap, you'll start learning about yourself in a new way. You'll also be able to live your life in a completely new way.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

In his book, Man's Search for Meaning, psychiatrist Viktor Frankl talks about living in a Nazi death camp for three years during World War II while his pregnant wife, brother, and parents all died.

Dr. Frankl, who had studied depression and suicide before he was sent to a concentration camp, talks about how he and other prisoners thought about life while they were there. Dr. Frankl says that even though we all have to go through pain, how we deal with it is up to us.

In the second half of this book, Frankl talks about his theory, called logotherapy. He says that happiness isn't about finding pleasure, but about finding meaning and purpose, and that this is what makes us happy.

Many times, he says that "he who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How."

This book will help you think about your happiness in a different way. It will help you see it as a search for meaning in life.

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson

Psychologist Jordan Peterson wrote a controversial book called 12 Rules for Life in which he combines new research with old ideas and gives 12 rules for living a happy and meaningful life.

Rule #1: Stand up straight with your shoulders back at first glance. Peterson, on the other hand, talks about surprising and practical wisdom that changes both the minds and hearts of his readers.

The main idea that change is possible is based on values like personal responsibility and discipline as a way to stop chaos.

Not everyone can read the book quickly, but it's good for people who want to change what they can do on their own.

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle

When Eckhart Tolle wrote the book The Power of Now, it became a big hit because of its powerful message about living in the now. It quickly rose to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.

An account by Tolle of his long fight with anxiety and suicidal depression starts the book.

Tolle talks about how he had a personal awakening in which he heard a voice telling him to "resist nothing." He came to understand that the nature of the mind is the source of all human pain.

Tolle says that only when we learn to let go of the egoic mind and live fully in the now can we be happy and at peace.

Through questions and answers, the book is organized. Readers can learn how to do things in an easy and simple way in this "how-to" guide.

I can't say enough good things about this book. The Power of Now is a guide that can quickly change how you feel about happiness.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

There is a book called The Happiness Project that is both fun and thought-provoking. It will make you think about your own path to happiness.

Author Gretchen Rubin tells stories from her year-long happiness experiment, in which she puts cutting-edge research and old wisdom to the test, as well as popular ideas about how to be happier. This book is the #1 New York Times bestseller.

A few of Rubin's ideas: Outer order affects inner peace, money can help, and daily personal challenges can make you happier, among other things.

The Happiness Project is a rare book that makes you laugh out loud. It will make you feel better and give you the courage to make your own happiness.

The Gifts of Imperfection by Dr. Brene Brown

New York Times best-selling author Dr. Brene Brown wants us to embrace our flaws in order to live a wholehearted life. She says this in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection.

An important and inspirational book for anyone who has ever felt like they didn't deserve to be there.

Brown combines heart, wit, and a lot of research to help people live a more honest, imperfect, and fulfilling life. He calls these "ten guideposts for authenticity."

A great book written by a well-respected person who isn't afraid to be honest. The Gifts of Imperfection is itself a gift that is both insightful and brave.

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Dr. Susan Jeffers

A motivational kick in the pants for anyone who wants to live a more self-empowered life, this book is for you.

This book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, by psychologist Dr. Susan Jeffers, is a classic. It talks about how living a life based on fear can be bad for your soul, and it gives practical advice on how to take courageous action instead.

People love this book because Dr. Jeffers can change people's lives with her powerful call to action.

The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama

"The Art of Happiness" is made up of a series of interviews with the Dalai Lama that were done by psychologist Howard C. Cutler. It gives a simple, no-nonsense way to be happy in your daily life.

When His Holiness' words and the co-ideas author's are mixed in, the book blends together the wisdom of Buddhism and Western traditions.

The Dalai Lama says that if you practice love, compassion, and tolerance, and live in the moment, you can be happy no matter what.

It is a must-read for everyone who wants to improve their own personal development.

Follow Your Bliss Not Your Blisters by Nanci Sherman

It's in Nanci Sherman's book "Follow Your Bliss, Not Your Blisters: How to Live Unconditionally Happy" that she gives you a recipe for more happiness in your life that tastes great.

The author draws from her own life experiences and her knowledge of the hospitality industry to come up with a simple way to be happy.

The book is quick and easy to read, and there aren't any long or complicated exercises in it. I think you will be inspired and uplifted by the time you finish it. If you can. Must read if you want to be happy!

---