I am reviewing this via NetGalley. On first sight, readers could be expect a deeply philosophical, inaccessible treatise but it is certainly not that. It cites personal and research evidence of successful searches for the meaning of life. There are compelling personal stories as well as accessible summaries of relevant research. It is well written and offers persuasive reasons for considering the meaning of life in desperate circumstances as well as in ordinary daily life. It is well worth reading.

A worthwhile read that explores with stunning insight the transformative power of living a life meaningfully, and whether this should be the true pursuit in life rather than happiness.
Each "step" highlights the ways people find meaning and enrich their lives accordingly, even in the face of true hardship or tragedy. It doesn't list an a-z of what meaning is for everyone, more a guide to unearthing your own path to meaningfulness within your own circumstances. This book reminded me of the Stories of New York and Paul Kalinithi's When Breath Becomes Air, in that it uses both the authors experiences of searching for meaning and upbringing (which was a very enlightening piece on Sufism), and the lives and experiences of people she has met along her quest. This book is not religious but inevitably contains some spiritual and humanistic elements that I found uplifting and immensely thought provoking.

This is a thought provoking book which I found very interesting as I'm currently asking myself some of those philosophical questions such as "why are we here" etc. I am convinced of the appeal of finding "meaning" in life and turning my back on materialism. Definitely worth a read.

I struggled with the introduction and chapter one of this book and really thought I would have to give up on it. However, I ploughed on and can only say how glad I am that I persevered.

I thought this would be a "self-help" book but it's really more anecdotes and stories told as examples of what gives life meaning from a scientific perspective. Each chapter on the "pillars of meaning" (belonging, purpose, storytelling, and transcendence) goes into examples of studies conducted and how certain individuals found meaning through one of these pillars.

The author must have done an inordinate amount of research to have found so much evidence to illustrate her point of how important it is to find the meaning in life, rather than happiness as an individual which one could say is a timely lesson with the world being as it is at this moment.

I enjoyed this book and thought it was very well written, researched and argued. Esfahani Smith avoids the pitfalls of many books in this genre that can see gross generalisations made and has heavily footnoted the work to back up her assertions. She is able to break down the complex work of academic writers, translate it into concepts that can be communicated well, and has also undertaken significant fieldwork to provide real-world examples of the issues being explored.

The only two criticisms I have of the book are that perhaps a more active voice directed at the reader throughout could be made - posing questions or asking how they feel about the examples in a chapter. Doing so would add to the value of the title as a tool for those in, or thinking about, therapy.

Secondly, the examples may not translate too well to the UK market - mainly down to cultural differences. There is a bit of a weaker self-starter culture here, and so perhaps some of the examples of people taking control of their lives may not resonate as strongly as motivating examples.

A side note for Kindle users - the book's about 1/3 footnotes, so don't be deterred when you look at the % progress bar at the bottom of the screen!

I was sent this book in return for an independent and honest review. A must have for any professional in the Health and Wellbeing field or for those just wanting to improve and find better meaning to their life. I liked the clearly divided chapters looking at different aspects, by considering what is important in a world full of stress and madness. It is well researched medically which for those who feel authenticity of a modality needs scientific back up. For me, although from a medical background accept that not everything spiritual/psychological can be proven this way. However this book also shows how mindfulness exercise can have a positive effect, even for those nearing the end of their lives and gives them peace. A very thought provoking and informative reference.

I saw this title and thought that I would give it a go. Unfortunately, it was not the right choice of book for me.

I'm sure that the subject will be welcomed by more open minded readers than me and those people will find fulfilment and satisfaction. The prose is well delivered and there is nothing much wrong with the book or how it is presented, it is just the subject matter that I could not engage with.

If it is your sort of thing, then I think you will not find much to criticise if you choose this book, but it did not work.for me.

Great book about a question we pretty much all have.This book draws on positive psychology with a twist. Recommended to all

I was given a free copy of this book by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
The search for meaning in our lives is not just for scholars and religious devotees. Emily Esfahani Smith has written this fascinating book studying the importance of finding meaning – based around the different pillars of meaning – in our lives. It is a wonderful mix of psychological and scientific research combined with insights into different religions as well as anecdotal evidence regarding the importance of finding meaning, and thoughts from great philosophers and writers.
The physical and psychological effects that finding meaning can have on a person are astounding. It raises many questions about how society could be improved and made happier if the lessons learned from this research could be widely implemented, as well as how the individual could take on board some of these insights. The anecdotal evidence is of ordinary people who have found meaning, often against all expectation. They are touching and identifiable.
This is a well-researched book and ultimately a profound and enjoyable read.

An interesting read for anyone struggling with living a meaningful life. Explores how we find meaning from suffering and difficult situations.

Thanks to NetGalley and to Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of this book that I voluntarily chose to read and review.
I don’t read many inspirational books so I cannot share a deep analysis of how original the book might be or where it sits in regards to the topic. The book covers a variety of subjects, and it is classed under psychology and health, philosophy and self-help, and I agree it does touch on all those.
I’m a psychiatrist and I must admit I have never studied Positive Psychology as part of my degree but this book doesn’t require an in-depth knowledge of any of the disciplines to benefit from it.
The author opens the book by introducing herself, her background, and questioning the current focus on happiness. Is happiness sufficient to lead a satisfying life? She goes on to discuss many of the studies that show that having a sense of meaning can make a big difference to the outcomes of people at a time of crisis, be it a life-threatening illness or students going through exams, and grounds the readers in the subject. She uses one of the pillars she identifies as important to creating meaning, story-telling, to hook the readers into the topic of the book. If somebody came to you and asked you to give him (her) a reason not to kill him/herself, what would you say? That’s what happened to Will Durant and what set him off asking his colleagues and trying to understand what brings meaning to people’s lives. From there, and using positive psychology, Emily Esfahani Smith, defines the four pillars that bring meaning to people’s lives: belonging, purpose, story-telling and transcendence. The author illustrates each one of these topics with individual stories that help make the points more accessible. We have a young man who was only interested in money, became a drug dealer, and when he went to prison discovered his lifestyle was literally killing him. There he changed his habits and ended up not only becoming fit but also helping others to become healthier. We have a woman who loves animals and finds her purpose in looking after the animals in the zoo, ensuring their lives can be interesting there too. I learned about dream directors who help young people find purpose and meaning; I read about projects that help people in the final stages of life to find a purpose, other projects that help individuals tell their stories and record their experiences, groups that bring people who’ve lost somebody together… The author achieves this and more, all the while providing sources for her findings and reminders of how the issues discussed relate to philosophers and historical figures past and current. We might discover belonging by joining a society that enacts battles or find transcendence walking in nature or attending a special service at church. Ultimately, this is not a prescriptive book, and the process of discovery of meaning is an individual one.
I loved the stories, which go from individual experiences to projects that have grown and become important to many people, and the theoretical reflections that underpin the concepts, which are clearly explained and will also encourage readers new to the topic to explore further. The author succeeds in preserving the unique voices of the people whose experiences she shares and her own writing is seamlessly and beautifully achieved. The book made me think and rethink life and its priorities and I suspect it will have a similar effect on many people.
A book on an important topic, written in an easily-accessible manner, illuminating and inspiring. Although I read it quickly for the review, this is a book that can be savoured and returned to as needed, and it will provide new discoveries and insights with every new reading.
A final note: Although the book appears quite long, the notes at the end occupy a 33% of the e-book (although they are easily accessible) and it does not feel like a long read.

I have been someone who has gravitated to books that talk about happiness so I was intrigued to read one that focused on meaning instead. I found it to be a highly enjoyable book that was well worth reading.

Well written and thought-provoking book that I felt was too long and hard to read fully because of its length, which is a pity since the subject is one that should be relevant to us all. Arguably, the digital age is reducing our attention span whilst giving the 'meaning of life' increased significance!

This is a hard book to describe to someone. Saying it's sort of positive psychology meets self help does it an injustice but I can't come up with a better elevator pitch. It isn't going to change your life but it might make you reconsider what life is actually about. Why are the richest people more prone to suicide? Why do people with nothing happily give things away? The start of the book with the Sufi temple is fascinating and I loved the little aside about how her father admired the scarf of a visitor. The man immediately took the scarf off and gave it as a gift. Ms Smith's father told the family never to complement anyone in that way again... There is philosophy, psychology, sociology and other ologies mixed in with anecdotes. It's a book that you read easily while learning a lot and that is an accolade to the skill of the writer. I enjoyed it and I will read it again. The author believes meaning is built on four pillars - belonging, purpose, storytelling and transcendence and provides enough evidence in each of the four sections to support her thesis. Recommended if you're a little jaded with life but don't like the "normal" self help books.

I was given copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Excellent - well worth reading. Really helped me see things differently and put things into perspective.