Authentic Happiness

The author of LEARNED OPTIMISM offers research summaries so illuminating that listening halfheartedly will be impossible. What makes people positive, generous, funny, kind, or original? Are you born with these traits, or can you develop them? How do intimate relationships influence positive traits, and how are they related to depression, insecurity, and pessimism? This smooth abridgment, read perfectly by John Dossett, will win new respect for the behavioral sciences, which have taken a beating during the recent resurgence of the spiritual disciplines. Personal assessment tools on Seligman's Web site --- authentichappiness.org --- will provide additional insights into your "signature strengths," which he says are essential to engage if you want happiness at work and at home. T.W. 2003 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine