Stumbling on Happiness by Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert was awarded the prestigious Royal Society Prize and the author received £10,000 in prize money.
Stumbling on Happiness questions what happiness is actually, never mind how we achieve or obtain it. According to the head judge, space scientist Colin Pillinger,
“Stumbling On Happiness is an outstanding and highly readable winner of this year’s Royal Society Prize for Science Books. Daniel Gilbert’s voice provides a witty companion throughout this exploration of the science behind the pursuit of happiness - an issue which fascinates us all. He uses cognitive science and psychology to provide intriguing insights into human nature, helping us to understand why we make the decisions we do.”
Here’s the shortlist in full:
- Homo Britannicus by Chris Stringer (Penguin Allen Lane)
- In Search of Memory by Eric R. Kandel (WW Norton & Co) (Call No.: English 616.80092 KAN-[HEA])
- Lonesome George by Henry Nicholls (Macmillan) (Call No.: English 597.9246 NIC-[ANI])
- One in Three by Adam Wishart (Profile Books) (Call No.: English 616.994060724 WIS-[HEA])
- Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert (Harper Press) (Call No.: English 158 GIL, here, here or the audiobook version)
- The Rough Guide to Climate Change by Robert Henson (Rough Guides) (Call No.: English 363.73874 HEN)
(via Guardian Unlimited Books)
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