Admit That You Are Happy!

If you're seeking a deeper understanding of happiness and how to cultivate it in everyday life, a thoughtfully curated book list on the subject can be a powerful resource. These books span a range of perspectives—from psychology and neuroscience to philosophy and memoir—offering insights into what it truly means to live a joyful and fulfilling life. These titles explore both the science and the spirit of happiness. Whether you're looking for practical strategies, personal stories, or thought-provoking ideas, this list is designed to inspire a more intentional and uplifting approach to your well-being.

Updated July 21, 2025
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Fond du Lac Public Library
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Life in five senses : how exploring the senses got me out of my head and into the world
Rubin, Gretchen
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The author of The Happiness Project discovers a surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love: by tuning in to the five senses. "Life in Five Senses invites us into the seismic shift toward a life grounded...

152.1 Rubin 2023

Languishing : how to feel alive again in a world that wears you down
Keyes, Corey L. M.
Paper Book
"With his pioneering research, Corey Keyes put languishing on the map. In this powerful book, he brings it to life. Get ready to rethink your understanding of mental health, update your views on happiness, and come closer to realizing your potential."--Adam Grant, #1 New York Times...

152.1886 Keyes 2024

Njuta : (enjoy, delight in) : the Swedish art of savoring the moment
Brantmark, Niki
Paper Book
Do you aspire to live a more peaceful, intentional life of mindfulness, positivity, and gratitude?  Njuta (pronounced "nyutah"), which means "enjoy" or "delight in," is the Swedish art of savoring the moment. Focused on finding happiness in even the smallest things, njuta can be...

152.42 Brantmark 2023

The comfort book
Haig, Matt
Paper Book
An instant New York Times Bestseller! The new uplifting book from Matt Haig, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Library, for anyone in search of hope, looking for a path to a more meaningful life, or in need of a little encouragement. ...

152.42 Haig 2021

The joy plan : how I took 30 days to stop worrying, quit complaining, and find ridiculous happiness
Roman, Kaia
Audiobook
As a mother, a wife, and a businesswoman, Kaia Roman always had a plan. But when her biggest plan, the business she co-founded, collapsed, Kaia found herself crushed by depression. And what felt even worse was that, with a husband and two kids relying on her, she didn't have a plan to move forward....

152.42 Roman 2017

Microjoys : finding hope (especially) when life is not okay
Spiegel, Cyndie
Paper Book
Bighearted and hopeful. Unflinchingly honest and healing. A profound compendium of intimate, inspiring essays and thoughtful prompts that will keep you afloat in difficult times and sustain you in the everyday.   Microjoys are a practice of uncovering joy and finding hope at...

152.42 Spiegel 2023

Living untethered : beyond the human predicament
Singer, Michael A.
Paper Book
Now a New York Times bestseller! The book you need right now is finally here! From beloved spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer--author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, The Untethered Soul--this transformative and highly anticipated guide will be...

153 Singer 2022

Think again : the power of knowing what you don't know
Grant, Adam M.
Paper Book
#1 New York Times Bestseller "THIS. This is the right book for right now. Yes, learning requires focus. But, unlearning and relearning requires much more--it requires choosing courage over comfort. In Think Again, Adam Grant weaves together research and...

153.42 Grant 2021

The art of noticing : 131 ways to spark creativity, find inspiration, and discover joy in the everyday
Walker, Rob
Paper Book
A thought-provoking, gorgeously illustrated gift book that will spark your creativity and help you rediscover your passion with "simple, low-stakes activities [that] can open up the world."--The New York Times Welcome to the era of white noise. Our lives are in constant...

153.73 Walker 2019

From strength to strength : finding success, happiness, and deep purpose in the second half of life
Brooks, Arthur C.
Paper Book
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The roadmap for finding purpose, meaning, and success as we age, from bestselling author, Harvard professor, and the Atlantic's happiness columnist Arthur Brooks. Many of us assume that the more successful we are,...

155.67 Brooks 2022

Do nothing : how to break away from overworking, overdoing, and underliving
Headlee, Celeste Anne
Paper Book
"A welcome antidote to our toxic hustle culture of burnout."--Arianna Huffington "This book is so important and could truly save lives."--Elizabeth Gilbert "A clarion call to work smarter [and] accomplish more by doing less."--Adam Grant   ...

158 Headlee 2020

The happiness project : or why I spent a year trying to sing in the morning, clean my closets, fight right, read Aristotle, and generally have more fun
Rubin, Gretchen Craft.
Paper Book
"This book made me happy in the first five pages." --AJ Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible Award-winning author Gretchen Rubin is back with a bang, with The Happiness Project. The author of the bestselling 40...

158 R824

Happier at home : kiss more, jump more, abandon a project, read Samuel Johnson, and my other experiments in the practice of everyday life
Rubin, Gretchen Craft.
Paper Book
In the spirit of her blockbuster #1 New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin embarks on a new project to make home a happier place.  One Sunday afternoon, as she unloaded the dishwasher, Gretchen Rubin felt hit by a wave of homesickness....

158 R824h 2012

Outer order, inner calm : declutter & organize to make more room for happiness
Rubin, Gretchen
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * In this lovely, easy-to-use illustrated guide to decluttering, the beloved author of The Happiness Project shows us how to take control of our stuff--and, by extension, our lives.   Gretchen Rubin knows...

158 Rubin 2019

The fun habit : how the pursuit of joy and wonder can change your life
Rucker, Michael
Paper Book
Discover the latest scientific evidence for the potent and revitalizing value of fun and how to make having fun a habitual and authentic part of your daily life with "this well-researched and impressive guide" (BookPage). Doesn't it seem that the more we seek happiness,...

158 Rucker 2023

The sunny nihilist : a declaration of the pleasure of pointlessness
Syfret, Wendy
Ebook
A positively rebellious take on a traditionally negative philosophy offers an antidote for our anxious times. Career success, a beautiful life, a beautiful Instagram account--what's the point? In a world where meaning has become twisted into a form of currency that everyone is...

158 Syfret 2022

Your brain is always listening : tame the hidden dragons that control your happiness, habits, and hang-ups
Amen, Daniel G.
Audiobook
The #1 New York Times bestselling author and psychiatrist Daniel G. Amen, MD, equips you with powerful weapons to battle the unseen dragons that are breathing fire on your emotional brain, driving unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, and robbing you of joy and contentment. ...

158.1 Amen 2021

The way of integrity : finding the path to your true self
Beck, Martha Nibley
Paper Book
OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "A roadmap on the journey to truth and authenticity... [The Way of Integrity] is filled with aha moments and practical exercises that can guide us as we seek enlightenment." -Oprah Winfrey ...

158.1 Beck 2021

Build the life you want : the art and science of getting happier
Brooks, Arthur C.
Paper Book
You can get happier. And getting there will be the adventure of your lifetime. INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In Build the Life You Want, Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey invite you to begin a journey toward greater happiness no matter how...

158.1 Brooks 2023

Please unsubscribe, thanks! : how to take back our time, attention, and purpose in a world designed to bury us in bullshit
Gambuto, Julio Vincent
Paper Book
A life-changing guide to freeing ourselves from the utter nonsense of modern life, for fans of Atomic Habits and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck--the best book to read if you're stressed-out, overloaded, or just plain weirded out by this crazy world we're all...

158.1 Gambuto 2023

Enchantment : awakening wonder in an anxious age
May, Katherine
Paper Book
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER "When I tell you that I dogeared almost every page in this book, I'm telling God's honest truth. I didn't know how much I needed someone else to validate what I was going through. The sense that I had lost my curiosity, my imagination, my ability to make...

158.1 May, Kathleen 2023

The well-lived life : a 102-year-old doctor's six secrets to health and happiness at every age
McGarey, Gladys
Paper Book
Dr. Gladys McGarey, the centenarian mother of holistic medicine, reveals "a story that teaches as much as it inspires" (Edith Eger, New York Times bestselling author), filled with life-changing secrets for how to live with joy, vitality, and purpose at any age. Dr. Gladys...

158.1 McGarey 2023

Brighter by the day : waking up to new hopes and dreams
Roberts, Robin
Paper Book
An Instant New York Times Bestseller!  From the beloved host of Good Morning America and New York Times bestselling author Robin Roberts, a guide to instilling hope and optimism into readers' lives, infusing...

158.1 Roberts 2022

The wisdom of Morrie : living and aging creatively and joyfully
Schwartz, Morris S.
Paper Book
"Beautiful...Those lucky enough to read this book will be inspired."--Deepak Chopra From the eponymous subject of the beloved classic Tuesdays with Morrie comes an insightful, poignant masterpiece on staying vibrant and connected for life. Who am I really?...

158.1 Schwartz, Morris 2023

Look again : the power of noticing what was always there
Sharot, Tali
Paper Book
This "smart and fun read, and a valuable way to revitalize your life" (Walter Isaacson) deftly explains how disrupting our well-worn routines, both good and bad, can rejuvenate and reset our brains for the better. Have you ever noticed that what is exciting on Monday tends...

158.1 Sharot 2024

The no-nonsense meditation book : a scientist's guide to the power of meditation
Laureys, Steven
Paper Book
'Meditation could retune our brains and help us cope with the long-term effects of the pandemic' - New Scientist 'Readers in search of an introduction to mindfulness that's free of woo-woo promises should look no further.' - Publishers Weekly

158.12 Laureys 2021

A tribe called bliss : break through superficial friendships, create real connections, reach your highest potential
Harder, Lori
Paper Book
Lori Harder is a self-love expert with over one million listeners on her Earn Your Happy podcast. In A Tribe Called Bliss she shares the exact structure she used to build her own tribe and grow from the anxiety ridden, unhealthy, introverted underachiever she was to the confident woman...

158.2 Harder 2018

Undistracted : capture your purpose, rediscover your joy
Goff, Bob
Audiobook

248.4 Goff 2022

The art of happiness : a handbook for living
Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho, Dalai Lama XIV
Paper Book
"Nearly every time you see him, he's laughing, or at least smiling. And he makes everyone else around him feel like smiling. He's the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, a Nobel Prize winner, and an increasingly popular speaker and statesman. What's more, he'll tell you that...

294.3444 B849

The four agreements : a practical guide to personal freedom
Ruiz, Miguel
Paper Book
The incredible New York Times and international bestselling guide to true happiness. "This book by don Miguel Ruiz, simple yet so powerful, has made a tremendous difference in how I think and act in every encounter."--Oprah Winfrey In The Four Agreements...

299.792 R859fo 1997

The power of strangers : the benefits of connecting in a suspicious world
Keohane, Joe
Paper Book
A "meticulously researched and buoyantly written" (Esquire) look at what happens when we talk to strangers, and why it affects everything from our own health and well-being to the rise and fall of nations in the tradition of Susan Cain's Quiet and Yuval Noah...

302 Keohane 2021

The laws of connection : the scientific secrets of building a strong social network
Robson, David (Science journalist)
Paper Book
This groundbreaking study reveals how social connections are far more important than we thought, showing us the steps we can take to build better relationships and improve our lives. Social connection is as essential for our health and happiness as a balanced diet and regular...

302.3 Robson 2024

Modern friendship : how to nurture our most valued connections
Goldfarb, Anna
Paper Book
From the "Friendship Explainer," a definitive step-by-step guide to understanding the fundamental mechanics of friendship Modern friendships can be painfully ambiguous. But they don't have to be. Journalist Anna Goldfarb has your back. "It's understandable if your friendships...

302.34 Goldfarb 2024

Happiness is a choice you make : lessons from a year among the oldest old
Leland, John
Paper Book
ANew York TimesBestseller! An extraordinary look at what it means to grow old and a heartening guide to well-being,Happiness Isa Choice You Makeweaves together the stories and wisdom of six New Yorkers who number among the "oldest old"-- those eighty-five and...

305.26 Leland 2018

Into the forest : the secret language of trees
Hitchcock, Susan Tyler
Paper Book
For millennia, trees have offered renewal and inspiration. They have provided for humanity on every level, from spiritual sanctuary to the raw material for our homes, books, and food. In this beautiful and revealing book, National Geographic combines legendary photography with cutting-edge science...

582.16 Hitchcock 2022

Brain wash : detox your mind for clearer thinking, deeper relationships, and lasting happiness
Perlmutter, David
Paper Book
Fight back against a modern culture that is rewiring our brains and damaging our health with this practical, doctor-approved plan for healing that includes a ten-day boot camp and forty delicious recipes. Contemporary life provides us with infinite...

612.82 Perlmutter 2020

The Blue Zones challenge : a 4-week plan for a longer, better life
Buettner, Dan
Paper Book
Get started on the path to a longer, healthier, happier life with this quick start to building your own Blue Zones lifestyle. Dan Buettner, founder of the Blue Zones and author of the New York Times number one best-selling Blue Zones Kitchen, offers the challenge of a lifetime- Build a...

613 Buettner 2021

The comfort crisis : embrace discomfort to reclaim your wild, happy, healthy self
Easter, Michael (Health and fitness writer)
Audiobook
Discover the evolutionary mind and body benefits of living at the edges of your comfort zone and reconnecting with the wild--from the New York Times bestselling author of Scarcity Brain. "If you've been looking for something different to level up your health,...

613 Easter 2021

Breathe in, breathe out : restore your health, reset your mind and find happiness through breathwork
Sandeman, Stuart
Paper Book
The internationally bestselling practical guide on how to breathe for better sleep, stress management, improved self esteem, and to care for your mental health. It's time to get your breath back. Since tragic loss brought him to breathwork,...

613.192 Sandeman 2022

The in-between : unforgettable encounters during life's final moments
Vlahos, Hadley
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Passionate advocate for end-of-life care and TikTok star Hadley Vlahos shares moving stories of joy, wisdom, and redemption from her patients' final moments in this "brilliant" (Zibby Owens, Good Morning America) memoir.   "This...

616.029 Vlahos 2023

Designing your work life : how to thrive and change and find happiness at work
Burnett, William (Consulting professor of design)
Paper Book
The authors of #1 New York Times bestseller Designing Your Life taught readers how to use design thinking to build meaningful, fulfilling lives. Now, in the original DESIGNING YOUR WORK LIFE, they apply that transformative thinking to the place we spend more time than anywhere else-...

650.1 Burnett 2020

Never enough : from barista to billionaire
Wilkinson, Andrew (Businessman)
Paper Book
USA Today Bestseller National Bestseller "Like going to business school and therapy all in one book." --James Clear, New York Times Bestselling Author, Atomic Habits Once a barista in a small cafe making $6.50 an hour...

650.1 Wilkinson 2024

Four thousand weeks : time management for mortals
Burkeman, Oliver
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Provocative and appealing . . . well worth your extremely limited time." --Barbara Spindel, The Wall Street Journal The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. Assuming you live to be eighty,...

650.11 Burkeman 2021

Beyond happiness : how authentic leaders prioritize purpose and people for growth and impact
Lim, Jenn
Paper Book
The co-founder and CEO of Delivering Happiness updates the Delivering Happiness model for our new abnormal, showing organizations of every kind how to cultivate a culture that can adapt to change, be highly profitable, and support all its people...starting with yourself.

658.314 Lim 2021

Share your joy : mixed media shareable art
Gardner, Sarah J.
Paper Book
Share Your Joy embraces shareable and mixed-media art through projects, prompts, and stories that invite you to explore your creativity and have fun with art supplies.

702.81 Gardner 2023

Design a healthy home : 100 ways to transform your space for physical and mental wellbeing
Heath, Oliver
Paper Book
With indoor air pollution at its worst, and many of us spending more time in our own homes, this interior design guide will help you create calm, social, and comfortable spaces. Let leading sustainability architect, Oliver Heath, give you all the practical solutions you need to...

747 Heath 2021

My hygge home : how to make home your happy place
Wiking, Meik
Paper Book
An inspiring book from Meik Wiking, the New York Times bestselling author of The Little Book of Hygge, about how to use space, light, and Danish design to transform your home to fit your needs. ​Inspired by Danish design and traditions, Meik...

747 Wiking 2022

A pocketful of happiness : a memoir
Grant, Richard E.
Paper Book
Academy Award-nominated actor Richard E. Grant's "genuine and compelling" (The New York Times), "moving and entertaining" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) memoir about finding happiness in even the darkest of days. Richard E. Grant emigrated from Swaziland to...

791.43 Grant, Richard Grant 2023

In the form of a question : the joys and rewards of a curious life
Schneider, Amy
Paper Book
"Warm and funny." --The New York Times * "Refreshingly no-holds-barred." --USA TODAY * "Delightful." --San Francisco Chronicle An inspirational, witty, and bold memoir from the most successful woman ever to compete on Jeopardy!--an exploration of...

791.45 Schneider Schneider 2023

Dusk, night, dawn : on revival and courage
Lamott, Anne
Paper Book
"Anne Lamott is my Oprah." -Chicago Tribune From the bestselling author of Help, Thanks, Wow comes an inspiring guide to restoring hope and joy in our lives. In Dusk, Night, Dawn, Anne Lamott explores the tough questions that many of us...

813.54 Lamott Lamott 2021

The book of (more) delights
Gay, Ross
Paper Book
From bestselling author of The Book of Delights and award-winning poet, a book of lyrical mini-essays celebrating the everyday that will inspire readers to rediscover the joys in the world around us. In Ross Gay's new collection of small, daily wonders,...

814.6 Gay, Ross 2023

Bring your baggage and don't pack light : essays
Ellis, Helen
Paper Book
The bestselling author of American Housewife and Southern Lady Code returns with a viciously funny, deeply felt collection of essays on friendship among grown-ass women. When Helen Ellis and her lifelong friends arrive for a reunion on the Redneck Riviera, they...

817.6 Ellis, Helen 2021

The happiest man on Earth : the beautiful life of an Auschwitz survivor
Jaku, Eddie
Paper Book
A New York Times Bestseller In this uplifting memoir in the vein of The Last Lecture and Man's Search for Meaning, a Holocaust survivor pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom, and living his best possible life. Born in Leipzig, Germany, into a...

940.5318 Jaku Jaku 2021

Looking for the good war : American amnesia and the violent pursuit of happiness
Samet, Elizabeth D.
Paper Book
"A remarkable book, from its title and subtitle to its last words . . . A stirring indictment of American sentimentality about war." --Robert G. Kaiser, The Washington Post In Looking for the Good War, Elizabeth D. Samet reexamines the literature, art, and...

940.5373 Samet 2021

The pursuit of happiness : how classical writers on virtue inspired the lives of the founders and defined America
Rosen, Jeffrey
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller and an "enriching...brilliant" (David W. Blight, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Frederick Douglass) examination of what "the pursuit of happiness" meant to our nation's Founders and how that famous phrase defined their lives and became the foundation of...

973.3092 Rosen 2024


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