What exactly is happiness that we spend our lives pursuing it more fiercely than anything else? The answer, Drs. Lickerman and ElDifrawi argue, is that happiness isn't just a good feeling but a special good feeling—in fact, the best good feeling we're capable of having.

Enduring happiness is something we all want yet many of us fail to achieve. Look around you. How many people do you know who would say they feel a constant and powerful sense of satisfaction with their lives? How many people do you imagine wouldn't find their ability to be happy impaired by a significant loss, like the death of a parent, a spouse, or a child? How is it possible to be happy in the long-term when so many terrible things are destined to happen to us?

In this highly engaging and eminently practical book—told in the form of a Platonic dialogue recounting real-life patient experiences—Drs. Lickerman and ElDifrawi assert that the reason genuine, long-lasting happiness is so difficult to achieve and maintain is that we're profoundly confused not only about how to go about it but also about what happiness is.

A soul stirring book that lends a refreshing perspective to the manner in which we go about discharging our responsibilities in life and the actual manner in which we would need to do so. The research put in is meticulous, the narration easy on the eye and the language totally free from all verbiage. This is a book whose tenets would go a long way in making each one of us better human beings

What exactly is happiness that we spend our lives pursuing it more fiercely than anything else? The answer, Drs. Lickerman and ElDifrawi argue, is that happiness isn't just a good feeling but a special good feeling—in fact, the best good feeling we're capable of having.

Enduring happiness is something we all want yet many of us fail to achieve. Look around you. How many people do you know who would say they feel a constant and powerful sense of satisfaction with their lives? How many people do you imagine wouldn't find their ability to be happy impaired by a significant loss, like the death of a parent, a spouse, or a child? How is it possible to be happy in the long-term when so many terrible things are destined to happen to us?

We wrestle with what happiness is really about. The human condition is prone to struggling through emotions, wondering what the secret of life truly is. This book is just as detailed in philosophy of life as it is about the science of happiness.

Ultimately, it is our belief system that can make a serious impact on our happiness. There is a significant discussion about what a belief is, what believing means, and when a belief is stirred up that causes us to react.

This self-help book was definitely an interesting read and gives a nice perspective on what we could be attaining, but it is conflicting with much discussion of buddhism. I would liked to have seen more of a discussion from other beliefs/religions.

The Ten Worlds: The New Psychology of Happiness, is a very interesting book focusing in the science and psychology of happiness and the absence of happiness (Anger, depression, lethargy, etc)

The authors suggest that we're not happy because of our core believes about what happiness means to us, which causes us to behave in certain ways.

Each chapter presents one of those core beliefs as being part of a certain "world", and thus the name of "The Ten Worlds".

These chapters are a combination of conversations had between one of the authors and his patients during therapy, and also conversations between both authors, debating the world in which they think the patient "IS", and everything related to how to help said patient.

From this 10 worlds, only one of them is considered to bring us true happiness, while 9 of them, are actually delusions that are the very cause for out unhappiness.

These 9 worlds are: Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Tranquility, Rapture, Learning, Realization, and Compassion.

The final world, the one that can attain absolute and true happiness is the world of Enlightenment.

Thru the book, the authors present their ideas on the form of debate and dialogue, but they also include mentions to studies made, results from scientific research and more, making this a very dynamic book.


It was a very nice read, that also made me stop to think about which was my own core delusion and which of the worlds I though I belonged to, and what I could do about it.


I think this is a must read for anyone with depression, or if you have a loved one with depression and you would like help understanding part of their suffering, and hopefully even how to help them.


My favorite chapter was the one on Enlightenment. The description of Enlightenment and moments when the authors experienced it, moved me and made me long for it.

Overall, I think this book is not only very interesting and informative, but could also be very helpful for someone like myself that have suffered major depression for many years. It might not provide a cure for my depression, but it certainly provided a different angle that made me realize things I haven't before.

-----------
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book before it's publication day for the purposes of reviewing it.

The Ten Worlds is a book which is as much about philosophy as it is about science.

The authors argue that everything in our life, including happiness, depends on our beliefs. They talk about what believing means and how the frequency with which a belief is stirred up causes us to react. This part of the book was fascinating for me.

The authors, then, talk about the ten worlds (from Buddhism) or life conditions that we are inhibiting at any particular moment. Each of these worlds (except the last one - Enlightenment) has a core delusion. Here, the authors delve into philosophy and intellectualization. Each world is described with dialogue between the two authors and one patient who mainly resides in that world. This made the book easily readable as well as interesting.

The authors end with a large section on Enlightenment and how to achieve it. Here again, we delve into some science and some philosophy.

Overall, the book was a nice read. It gave me a different perspective on how to view life. I don't think this book will help me become happier than I am but I am still glad that I read a different perspective on being happier.

Arc received from NetGalley