Reviews

Zen and the Art of Happiness by Chris Prentiss

thejadedhippy's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

There is usefulness here. I'm going to be thinking about this book and working to integrate things from it. Really 3.5 stars is more accurate.

There are also parts of this that concern me. For instance I think it is important that we be troubled by bad things happening in the world that we can contribute to changing. If we just smile at it and say it's happening for our benefit or it's not our concern because it's not happening to us -- I think that's pretty awful. As other reviewers have pointed out, there are aspects of this book that seem very primed towards people who live comfortably but are still unhappy.

rpmohn's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

For the most part, I really liked this book. It's a lovely distillation of some good parts of Eastern Philosophy and it mixes in some modern scientific research to back it up. Around chapter 6 (of 10) it gets a little preachy and includes a bit too much about the author's addiction cure business for my taste, but the concluding chapter comes back around to a good place.

gbdill's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

I didn't finish the book. It didn't take long before it felt like your typical feel good self help book. That if you just believe in a positive outcome, then it will certainly become true. While totally disregarding true suffering in which happiness may not necessarily be the intended outcome. I saw very little eastern Zen but a lot of western pseudo-psychobabble. After all, this was written by a wealthy southern Californian businessman who runs an expensive therapy center in Malibu, California.

jamerrs03's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

One of my all time favorite books. Goal is to re-read this once every year. Helps put your mind into a better perspective in life.

joeyfrench's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

murphys_bee's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

Changing my thoughts is not going to allow me to be healed. There are some thoughts about happiness regardless that are quite good but the author’s always go to far

samidhak's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Usually LOA stuff, but still good.

kelseyki's review against another edition

Go to review page

slow-paced

2.0

vmontori's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

2.25

kristinvb520's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.0