A review by gohawks
The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman

4.0

Not quite four stars here. More like three and a half. Burkeman doesn't really offer one tried and true method for happiness for pessimists. Rather, this is a sampler of theories for happiness that fit the not-so-positive thinkers. Burkeman visits with Stoics, Buddhists and others that don't necessarily follow the "just believe it and it will come to you" screed. For you Oprah fans, he is pro- Eckhart Tolle and anti-The Secret. If nothing else it is informative, and if it is a topic that interests you, then his sampler should urge you to delve deeper. He brings up various anecdotes and research that points out that those obsessed with whether or not they are happy all the time are usually anything but. Burkeman posits that it is essentially thinking all the time about staying positive which can lead those negative thoughts to compound themselves. Certainly worth a look if self-help and happiness are an interest.