My Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life

Want to get the "Moment of Happiness"? A daily happiness quotation in your inbox.   Sign up here close daily quote

April 18, 2011
38 Comment

Want a Chance to Get a Free Copy of The Happiness Project?

HappinessProjectpaperback3D.jpg

I’ve never done a give-away before — but hey, there’s a first time for everything! If you’d like to be eligible to win a free, personalized copy of The Happiness Project, enter your name as a comment on the Facebook Page. I’ll pick someone at random by tomorrow.

*** We have three winners! (So many people entered, I decided to give away three books instead of one.) So the list is closed. I’ll do it again soon. Thanks to everyone for your enthusiasm.

Tags:

Other posts you might be interested in...

  1. It’s Friday: time to think about YOUR Happiness Project. This week: Start a Happiness Project for 2008!
  2. Begin YOUR happiness project! Need help getting started? Identify a symbol for yourself and your happiness project.
  3. Begin YOUR happiness project! Need help getting started? Write a list of happiness commandments for yourself.
  4. Best of the Happiness Project:
  5. Thoughts on someone else’s happiness project–a bike-based project.
  • http://www.hvara.ca Dan

    Nice! Looking forward to the draw.

  • Bob

    Bob

  • Piotr Kolibabski

    Gretchen, I would really love to read your book, but I don’t have a Facebook account and I don’t want to set it up. I’ve heard it’s a major time consumer and I’m too busy to try it out, don’t want to risk. Please, make sure to organise the next contest on your blog, so that your out-of-Facebook fans also have a chance of winning! Greetings from Poland!

    • gretchenrubin

      OK! Great idea.

  • DebbieRN

    DebbieRN

  • Kathleen Bell

    Kathleen – will pass along to our clients. We help Depression and Anxiety clients here.

  • Elizabeth

    Looking forward to your drawing! Elizabeth

  • NoThankYou

    I was going to say yes, but then I read some of your amazon reviews. I found this recent amazon review intriguing!

    1.0 out of 5 stars Should have been called “The Control Freak Project”, April 12, 2011
    By sparkalicious (Oregon) – See all my reviews
    This review is from: 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 (Paperback)
    Like many other reviewers, I could not take more than a few chapters of Happiness Boot Camp with someone who thinks her happiness quotient can be mandated, legislated, and manipulated into shape with spreadsheets and checklists and to-do lists.

    Gretchen Rubin’s approach to finding happiness is lawyerly, pedantic and controlling; when she mentions that she has found herself being “less humorous than usual” I wondered how in the world that could even be possible.

    She resents having to be nice to her husband for an entire week, and issues family marching orders (via email) for a party she is planning for her mother-in-law’s birthday. She “decides” she needs to collect something, but then wonders what she should collect, and settles not on something that she finds beautiful or intriguing but something that ties in with her project. Her ideas and revelations all spring from somewhere else; she relies much too heavily on her blog readers’ (unattributed) comments, and she displays unembarrassed calculation in her dealings with others (“Do good, feel good”).

    One of her favorite recommendations for solving a problem is (and I quote directly): “Throw money at it”. Easy for her to say.

    This is a very disappointing book, because Rubin is an engaging writer and this project was a great idea until she throttled the life and authenticity out of it. Her end product, a doggedly do-or-die, check-it-off-the-list approach to creating a better, happier life, is devoid of humor, empathy, self-awareness and a true understanding of the human heart.

    • gretchenrubin

      This may have been written by one of my best friends! who also thinks my
      checklist approach to happiness is quite insane.

      But no, now I see that the commenter is from Oregon, so I guess not.

      • REMiller

        very nice on the reply to NoThankYou … we all have critics what matters most is how we handle them…smile

    • Erica G.

      It’s not an easy task recognizing your own defects and shining the light in an area that it usually runs your life and actions unconsciously. When I read the book, I able to understand where Gretchen was coming from even though our lives are very different. The main point I understood from reading this book was that she did not want to live life as a means to an end, rather enjoying the process with less commentary going on in the head. I was very entertained. As for the task of being nice to the husband, I recommend Yogi Calming tea for those days that you feel irritated and overwhelmed. I even have my husband remind me. I do not like feeling like that, and he certainly doesn’t deserve the negativity.

    • FaninTexas

      The latest amazon review is even worse! The customer RETURNED Gretchen’s book. Wow, never heard of anyone doing that!

      1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
      1.0 out of 5 stars Returned this book, April 21, 2011
      By drum guy (Texas) – See all my reviews
      Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
      This review is from: 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 (Paperback)
      It’s very rare that I return any book but this is one of those times. I think the author’s goal is admirable in sharing her search for happiness, but she’s difficult to read. Mostly I say this because I interpret her stories as “look at me everyone!” or wanting to be center of attention with her family and friends. Thought she would move past that after several dozen pages and discussed how she moved beyond wanting to be rewarded and praised but it appears this doesn’t happen. I wanted desperately to like this book but it felt like listening to several clingy, self absorbed women that I’ve known and moved beyond. Jaime, you’re a saint for being a good husband to the author.

      • gretchenrubin

        Of course, I’m unhappy when I read a negative review (remember the
        negativity bias?).

        I remind myself: both the hardback and the paperback hit the bestseller
        lists for months, and if tons of people read the book, no matter how many
        like the book, some won’t. And in fact, the MORE people who LOVE the book,
        the more likely I am to get NEGATIVE reviews — because that means more
        people are reading it! So I try not to feel discouraged.

        • SecondEdition

          Depends on your objectives and motives –
          1. Tricking people into buying the book (by “throwing money at it”, using your connections and name to get lots of press, gimmicky blog articles, etc.) – whether readers find it to be a good piece of literary work or not.

          OR

          2. To produce a great piece of literary work – regardless of how many people read it.

          I would think that in your case your goal would be the latter. Sounds like you have lots of money and claim to be educated. So it would seem that you would want a genuine treasure of a book that would be valued as a true source of happiness, warmth and love.

          Maybe you can revise and publish a second edition. Try to make it more human. As it stands, it comes across as too hard edge!

          • gretchenrubin

            I stand by my work.

  • Me

    Be Gretchen. Let it go.

  • Ellenmenz

    Ellen Menzies

  • Evelyn

    Evelyn Chan

  • Treasures

    brunerwife

  • Dashian11

    Jennifer McLaughlin

  • allears

    Nel Hecht

  • The Red Angel

    This is so kind of you, Gretchen! :) I added my name on Facebook…even though I may not get The Happiness Project, someone else will and that’ll make his/her day, I’m sure!

    All writers have their own fans as well as critics. It’s hard to receive bad reviews sometimes, but I think that they definitely help us become better writers as well as listeners. Personally, from what I read from the sample chapters, I love the book and can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!

    ~TRA

    http://xtheredangelx.blogspot.com

  • Jill Gerke

    I have just been given your book to borrow and read, and am so very delighted by the expereince so far! Many wonderful insights and real life wisdoms that make it a practical tool to incorporate into every day family life! Thank you!!

  • Erica G

    Thank you, Gretchen for your experience and for your honesty! Your book helped put in action what I think about too often and do nothing about. So, I am going to go organize some clutter, because it will bring me more peace and happiness than sitting here waiting for something to happen. I could really use your help with organizing the one closet we have. :)

  • Calina Seos

    oh it is vrey interseting

  • Annbran1

    I also do not have a Facebook Account. That is another stressor that I do not need right now. I also wish there was an opportunity to win the book without Facebook. AB in Burnt Hills, NY

  • Efullalove

    Eamon Fullalove….. that really is my surname! surly a surname that is worthy of winning a copy of your lovely book!.

  • Michelle

    Michelle McFadden-DiNicola

  • sharon

    Would love to read your book. I have been dealing with some Bi-Polar issues with people in my life, and have been trying to do an intervention. Been reading lots of help books. Now is my time to read about something positive like Happiness. Would very much like to receive this book. Thanks alot Gretchen.

  • http://hubpages.com/_zi8l5y2aso3m/author/BlissfulWriter/latest/ BlissfulWriter

    How about next time use Twitter for a drawing instead of Facebook? I don’t use Facebook either.

    • gretchenrubin

      yes, I’ll mix it up!

      • Piotr Kolibabski

        And maybe it’d be good to take into consideration also those who commented here. I believe that many people who don’t use Facebook don’t use Twitter either, regarding them as the same kind of stressor. Myself included. I think that it is people who read your blog regularly that should be rewarded!
        Of course I’m only joking, but I would be simply thrilled if I got the copy of your book.
        Best wishes,
        Piotr Kolibabski

        • gretchenrubin

          I wholly accept your point. I will do it again, but switch forum, so that
          every kind of reader gets a chance.

  • Karenavon

    Your site and book sound most interesting, but can not if Facebook, ( to try to win a copy) and I think I need to find My happiness as I a mother of 3 wife and been off work of about 3 years now dealing with depression and being a guess a 10 year cancer servior of 10 years…I really don’t think I am. I trul need help as I feel I will lose everything that means anything to me. I lost my dad at the age of 54…and have felt like I have really been ding too…how do we move past the sad hurt and abuse to truly live happy>

  • Sudangautam

    I have always been avoiding your blog even though i subscribed it. But now i think it’s really worthy to read few of the post and add happiness to make myself the best i can be. Even if i won’t get the book my respect for you and this blog will always be the same. Good luck to anyone who gets this book. Make sure you make the best out of this book otherwise you need to send it to others who need it like me…

  • Glindaneva

    people from outside United States are allowed to participate next time? I can read the book in english, you just have to send it to me, hehehehe
    love-
    GN

« Previous Next »