The Happiness Files
Insights on Work and Life by Arthur C. Brooks
Published on 12. August 2025
Book
Hardback
272 pages
979-8-89279-226-4 (ISBN)
Description
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Harvard professor and bestselling author Arthur C. Brooks offers science-based insights on work and life in this curated collection from his "How to Build a Life" column in The Atlantic.
Imagine if your life were a startup. How would you lead it and shape it to be most successful?
That's the question behind The Happiness Files, a rich selection of enlightening and instructive essays by Arthur C. Brooks, known worldwide for his inspiring yet practical wisdom and advice in his weekly column for The Atlantic and in his bestselling books, From Strength to Strength and Build the Life You Want (coauthored with Oprah Winfrey).
The simple answer, as Brooks wisely explains, is to manage your life in a way that leads to truly valuable rewards: love, enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning-in other words, happiness.
Building on his popular Harvard Business School course "Leadership and Happiness," Brooks begins each essay with sharp observations and behavioral science research that shed light on how happiness really works, then offers experiential wisdom and practical advice. Beautifully written, the essays range from ancient philosophy to literature, pop culture, and the contemporary world of work. They explore topics and challenges such as "Procrastinate This, Not That," "Why Success Can Feel So Bitter," and "Five Pillars of a Good Life." Readers will find the chapters helpfully grouped by theme: "On Managing Yourself," "On Jobs, Money, and Building Your Career," "On Balancing Work, Life, and Relationships," and more.
We all need more happiness in our work and in our lives. In The Happiness Files you'll find enlightenment, inspiration, and useful guidance for leading a happier, more successful, and more fulfilling life and career.
Harvard professor and bestselling author Arthur C. Brooks offers science-based insights on work and life in this curated collection from his "How to Build a Life" column in The Atlantic.
Imagine if your life were a startup. How would you lead it and shape it to be most successful?
That's the question behind The Happiness Files, a rich selection of enlightening and instructive essays by Arthur C. Brooks, known worldwide for his inspiring yet practical wisdom and advice in his weekly column for The Atlantic and in his bestselling books, From Strength to Strength and Build the Life You Want (coauthored with Oprah Winfrey).
The simple answer, as Brooks wisely explains, is to manage your life in a way that leads to truly valuable rewards: love, enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning-in other words, happiness.
Building on his popular Harvard Business School course "Leadership and Happiness," Brooks begins each essay with sharp observations and behavioral science research that shed light on how happiness really works, then offers experiential wisdom and practical advice. Beautifully written, the essays range from ancient philosophy to literature, pop culture, and the contemporary world of work. They explore topics and challenges such as "Procrastinate This, Not That," "Why Success Can Feel So Bitter," and "Five Pillars of a Good Life." Readers will find the chapters helpfully grouped by theme: "On Managing Yourself," "On Jobs, Money, and Building Your Career," "On Balancing Work, Life, and Relationships," and more.
We all need more happiness in our work and in our lives. In The Happiness Files you'll find enlightenment, inspiration, and useful guidance for leading a happier, more successful, and more fulfilling life and career.
Reviews / Votes
Praise for Arthur C. Brooks"Arthur Brooks is the only person to combine both science and our aspirations about our lives. His work confirms and surprises us about ourselves and how we're progressing." - Eric Schmidt, former Chairman and CEO, Google
"As I follow the principles that Arthur Brooks presents, I am becoming happier. I'm actually having fun, too-a word that previously didn't exist in my vocabulary." - Oprah Winfrey, global media leader
"Arthur C. Brooks helps people find greater happiness as they age and change." - His Holiness the Dalai Lama
"Great practical wisdom." - George Stephanopoulos, coanchor, Good Morning America; host, ABC's This Week
"Arthur Brooks is an exceptional thought leader on the life quotient of true happiness, and his insights have the power to inspire and transform individuals and organizations. His ability to connect with our team on such a meaningful level sparked engaging discussions, resonated deeply, and has undoubtedly shaped our team's mindset for the better." - Adena Friedman, Chair and CEO, Nasdaq
"In this beautiful curated collection, Arthur Brooks provides timeless wisdom to meet the challenges of modern working life." - Scott Barry Kaufman, Professor at Columbia University and best-selling author of Rise Above
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 213 mm
Width: 141 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
398 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-89279-226-4 (9798892792264)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
08/2025
Harvard Business Review Press
€29.49
Available for download
Person
Arthur C. Brooks, PhD, is the Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School. He is also a columnist at The Atlantic, where he writes the weekly "How to Build a Life" column. Brooks is the number one New York Times bestselling author of fourteen books, including Build the Life You Want, coauthored with Oprah Winfrey, and From Strength to Strength. He is one of the world's leading experts on the science of happiness, appearing in the media and traveling around the world to teach people in private companies, universities, public agencies, and faith communities how they can live happier lives and bring greater well-being to others.