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Author's journey isn't your everyday treasure hunt By Ilana Peña Pine Crest School Posted May 8 2008
Nathaniel Hawthorne once said, "Happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." However, author Eric Weiner decided he would have none of that. Weiner put down all self-help books, blocked out superficial advice and went the complete opposite route by actively pursuing happiness. His journey is cleverly, insightfully and humorously documented in The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World. A former foreign correspondent for National Public Radio and a "self-proclaimed grump," this gutsy – if not completely crazy – man embarks on a journey across 10 countries and four continents to find the specific location of the happiest inhabitants on earth. He had a simple question, and he wanted the answer so badly he subjected himself to hours of plane rides to far-off places: Where is the happiest place in the world? Weiner claims he had an existence filled with misery and a chronically depressed outlook on life, and that is why he craved an answer so much. Similar to A.J. Jacobs's The Know-It-All, this tale of a quest educates and entertains with cheeky humor and cute anecdotes. Weiner has written a book that has the power to emotionally move while making the reader literally laugh out loud. His book is a 325-page journey of truth, epiphany and entertainment. Through countries ranging from Qatar to Thailand, Weiner chats with inhabitants, immigrants, writers, government officials and servants to figure out if they are happy, and if so, why. Is it the structured orderliness of Switzerland? The thriving arts culture of Iceland? The signs and omens of India? Weiner's experiences never cease to be humorous, as he dabbles in the atmosphere of each location. Rather than focusing on mere observation, he actively engages in the culture of each country he visits, connecting the reader to each location and to one's own personal happiness. He never ceases to be inspiring, giving insight not only to where people are happy, but to the author's happiness and, ultimately, to our own. The Geography of Bliss has the power to make the reader think – about culture, customs, beliefs, and one's own life and experiences. One reads about Qatar's mountain of wealth, Iceland's love for the arts and Switzerland's somewhat anal rules and wonders what the key to happiness really is. The book delves into such deep and thought-provoking issues that it makes self-help books look like wading pools. Weiner's sharp observations regarding joy and misery are well-written and beautifully thought out, and balance humor with life-changing discovery as smoothly as Icelandic beer (which may or may not be a secret to Iceland's happiness). One of the beauties of The Geography of Bliss is that through Weiner's quest, the reader vicariously takes his own personal journey toward true happiness. Funny, thought-provoking and educational are three words that rarely sit side-by-side in reference to American nonfiction, but Weiner balances them perfectly in this truly epic journey. |
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