Happiness: A History by Darrin M. McMahon

What does it mean to be happy—and how has that meaning evolved across civilizations?

In Happiness: A History by Darrin M. McMahon, journey through the fascinating story of humanity’s pursuit of joy, fulfillment, and the elusive state we now call happiness.

Historian Darrin M. McMahon traces the intellectual and cultural evolution of happiness from ancient Greece, where it meant virtue, to Rome’s ideals of prosperity and divine favor, and to Christianity’s vision of bliss in union with God. Only in the last two centuries, McMahon argues, has happiness become a secular entitlement and a modern obsession. Drawing on art, poetry, music, theology, and literature, Happiness: A History offers a sweeping, insightful look at the ever-changing meaning of a “happy life”—and why the pursuit still matters today.

Features:

• Themes: Philosophy, history of ideas, self-fulfillment, cultural evolution
• Genre: Nonfiction, History, Philosophy
• Reading Level: Adult; ideal for readers of history, philosophy, or psychology
• Unique Selling Points: Sweeping intellectual history, interdisciplinary approach, broad cultural analysis
• Bonuses: Illustrations, suggested readings, historical timelines

About the Author:

Darrin M. McMahon is an acclaimed historian and professor, known for his thought-provoking works on the history of ideas, including Happiness: A History and Enemies of the Enlightenment.

Related Reads:

• Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
• The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama

Explore the centuries-old quest for joy with Darrin M. McMahon’s Happiness: A History—the definitive guide to understanding happiness as a timeless human pursuit.