"A simple shift in thinking can change everything you believe about your own happiness. By the time we become adults, most of us have joined the religion of suffering, which preaches that unless circumstances are controlled, life will be a mess. We compare ourselves to others and speculate about an impossible-to-know future, holding out hope for an improved life through getting ahead, fulfilling passion, or finding true love. But the idea that happiness...

What makes us authentically happy? It's not wealth, youth, beauty, or awards. Buettner identifies the happiest regions on different continents and explores why their populations report being happier than others.

"If you are happy you are contented with one's lot. A pregnant woman is content and we admire her 'inner glow' that comes with the joy of motherhood, of bringing forward a new life into the world. However if you are in solitary confinement in a prison are you happy? Are you content with your lot in life or is there an acceptance of the facts that you have transgressed the laws of society and your right to happiness is taken away? It may be possible...

Homer the dog is content to watch from the porch as his family goes out to enjoy the day.

The Danes are famously the happiest people in the world, and hygge is a cornerstone of their way of life. Hygge (pronounce Hoo-ga) loosely translates as a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. You know hygge when you feel it. It is when you are cuddled up on the sofa with a loved one, or sharing comfort food with your closest friends. It is those crisp blue mornings when the light through your window is just right. It is about gratitude...

Otto lives in a book in a house but when no one is looking he comes to life to read his favorite stories and practice his writing, until he is left behind and must set out in search of a new home.

"New York Times bestselling author Isabel Gillies picks up where our cultural fascination with hygge leaves off in this fresh and inspiring look on the subtle art of cozy: Part manifesto, part lifestyle guide, part memoir, Cozy shows readers that true comfort comes from within"--

Little Critter learns how to be grateful for what he has, rather than always wishing for something better.

Purple Little Bird leaves his almost-perfect purple home in search of a better place, but although Brown Bear, Yellow Camel, and others live in very nice places, none is quite right for him.

Gil the Goldfish feels crowded in his small bowl with a plant, a castle, and 138 pebbles, but when he leaves his bowl in search of a better home, he learns some important lessons.