August is Happiness Happens Month, established by the Society of Happy People. I’ll take any reason to celebrate happiness, so let’s look at some books that focus on, encourage, or teach about happiness, all available from the Chatham Area Public Library.
These adult novels are sure to make you feel a range of emotions, but hopefully happiness will be the ending one. Pieces of Happiness by Anne Ostby is about five lifelong friends who, in their sixties, decide to live together on a cocoa farm in Fiji. They not only start a chocolate business, but also strengthen their friendships and rediscover themselves. In Redesigning Happiness by Nita Brooks, Yvonne revamps her life after a heartbreaking relationship. Now she’s a sought-after interior designer and she’d engaged to her home improvement reality show co-star, Nathan. But when the father of Yvonne’s son tries to buy her show, she’s faced with coming to terms with who she is and discovering what she truly wants.
For those who want help finding happiness or just bettering yourself, try these entertaining nonfiction books. 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 by Gretchen Rubin is Rubin’s year long quest to learn how to better enjoy the life she has. Each month, she pursued a different set of resolutions like going to bed earlier, tackling a nagging task, and taking time to be silly. Rubin’s wicked sense of humor and sharp insight will inspire others to embrace the pleasure in their lives. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner is, as the subtitle mentions, one grump’s search for the happiest places in the world. Weiner draws on his experiences as a foreign correspondent to evaluate countries for their happiness potential. Part travel memoir, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide, this book takes the reader across the globe to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is.
These children’s books are worth a read for remembering to focus on the things that give you happiness. My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith is a sweet simple book about the things that make one happy with the last page asking “what makes you happy?” Have You Filled a Bucket Today by Carol McCloud encourages positive behavior as children see how easy and rewarding it is to express kindness and love on a daily basis. Feeling Happy by Amber Bullis is a nonfiction book that helps readers discover how to recognize happiness in themselves and others, how to best respond to it, and how to communicate about these feelings.
While these books are themed on happiness, if they aren’t your cup of tea, the Chatham Area Public Library is full of many other kinds of books. Read whatever makes you happy.