Robert J. Waldinger

A well written and engaging book about what makes for a good life as told by a couple of elderly psychologists.
Early on the authors address the issue that the study they are basing the book on was designed and performed on men until very recently, leaving out half the human population, however, this is not in any way acknowledged in the rest of the book, leaving me wondering - are these lessons applicable to the other half of the population? As in way too many studies, it seems women are assumed to be smaller and more unpredictable versions of men who are the gold standard.
Based on the descriptions I also have my doubts as to the scientific rigeur of the study, leaving me wondering how much 'interpretation' and ret conning takes place every time someone wants to use the data - and if so, are the conclusions valid? In fact couching this as a scientific study is a bit of a stretch - social sciences perhaps, with the caveats that entails.
It must also have been a bit of a pain to have Kahnemans study of money and happiness featuring prominently early in the book, only to have him recant the findings of that study just after the book came out.
The fact that the authors seems to think that the modern world leaves some of us much worse of than previously is also a real head scratcher and makes me wonder about their understanding of the world. I think Roslyng has demonstrated with convincing data, that the world is a much better place than it ever was.… (más)

4 1/2 stars: Super, couldn't put it down

The person who recommended this to me said "you already know this" but it was worth reading anyway. Co-authored by two scientists involved in the multi generational longest study on happiness, they seek to answer the question "What makes a good life?". The answer, supported by dozens of studies, is the quality of our relationships. This is independent of other stressors, such as financial, health, racism, etc. The original Harvard Study followed both privileged men (including JFK) as well as less fortunate in Boston. Over the years it has included multi generations, and now includes spouses. This book includes case studies and interviews from participants and their children and reminds us that in this time of unprecedented fracturing of society, our relationships are what see us through difficult times.

From amazon:
"What makes for a happy life, a fulfilling life? A good life? In their “captivating” (The Wall Street Journal) book, the directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted, show that the answer to these questions may be closer than you realize.

What makes a life fulfilling and meaningful? The simple but surprising answer is: relationships. The stronger our relationships, the more likely we are to live happy, satisfying, and healthier lives. In fact, the Harvard Study of Adult Development reveals that the strength of our connections with others can predict the health of both our bodies and our brains as we go through life.

The invaluable insights in this book emerge from the revealing personal stories of hundreds of participants in the Harvard Study as they were followed year after year for their entire adult lives, and this wisdom was bolstered by research findings from many other studies. Relationships in all their forms—friendships, romantic partnerships, families, coworkers, tennis partners, book club members, Bible study groups—all contribute to a happier, healthier life. And as The Good Life shows us, it’s never too late to strengthen the relationships you already have, and never too late to build new ones. The Good Life provides examples of how to do this.

Dr. Waldinger’s TED Talk about the Harvard Study, “What Makes a Good Life,” has been viewed more than 42 million times and is one of the ten most-watched TED talks ever. The Good Life has been praised by bestselling authors Jay Shetty “an empowering quest towards our greatest need: meaningful human connection”), Angela Duckworth (“In a crowded field of life advice...Schulz and Waldinger stand apart”), and happiness expert Laurie Santos (“Waldinger and Schulz are world experts on the counterintuitive things that make life meaningful”).

With “insightful [and] interesting” (Daniel Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness) life stories, The Good Life shows us how we can make our lives happier and more meaningful through our connections to others."… (más)

What makes a good, happy life? It's a question most people ask at one time or another, and the Harvard Study started researching back in the 1940s, using interviews with Harvard graduates and young men from rougher neighborhoods in the Boston area, and has since grown, in some cases including their wives and children for a second generation. Current director Robert Waldinger and his colleague, Marc Schulz, distill their findings here: it's all about relationships.

Yes, despite the title sounding like it will be several "to dos" or a breakdown of various findings the study has had over generations, this is primarily a self-help book about how to have better relationships with your friends, family, co-workers, and intimate partners. As such, it's not bad. The two authors are psychologists and Waldinger's background in Zen Buddhism is apparent throughout (though they quote from other religious traditions as well). The advice is solid, if not ground-breaking, and they are quick to point out that one person may be perfectly happy with two strong friendships, while another needs more to feel happy and fulfilled. They use case studies from the Harvard Study to good effect to show both positive and negative examples. An overall interesting read.… (más)