Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment
About this product
A national bestseller, Authentic Happiness launched the revolutionary new science of Positive Psychology—and sparked a coast-to-coast debate on the nature of real happiness.
According to esteemed psychologist and bestselling author Martin Seligman, happiness is not the result of good genes or luck. Real, lasting happiness comes from focusing on one’s personal strengths rather than weaknesses—and working with them to improve all aspects of one’s life. Using practical exercises, brief tests, and a dynamic website program, Seligman shows readers how to identify their highest virtues and use them in ways they haven’t yet considered. Accessible and proven, Authentic Happiness is the most powerful work of popular psychology in years. Read more
Editor's Take
Amazon/Goodreads-style reviewers generally describe Authentic Happiness as influential, practical, and well grounded in positive psychology, especially for readers interested in self-development and evidence-based happiness research.
Common praise includes the book’s clear framework for happiness, its focus on strengths and virtues, and its actionable exercises and assessments. Readers also often call it thought-provoking and useful for applying psychology to everyday life.
Some criticism appears in review discussions too: a few readers find parts of it repetitive, overly academic, or dated compared with newer work in positive psychology. Others note that the book’s ideas can feel more inspirational than immediately transformative.
On Goodreads and similar review pages, the overall tone is strongly favorable, with many reviewers recommending it to people interested in psychology, personal growth, and lasting well-being.
YouTube results included several videos that appear to be directly about the book or its ideas, but only one search result showed a clearly book-specific summary titled “Summary: ‘Authentic Happiness’ by Martin E P Seligman, Ph D”.
Price History
Specifications
| Topic | Happiness |
Product Details
| Publisher | Simon Element / Simon Acumen |
| Publication date | January 5, 2004 |
| Edition | Reprint |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 336 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0743222989 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0743222983 |
| Item Weight | 2.31 pounds |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.44 inches |
| Best Sellers Rank | #131,272 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #307 in Cognitive Psychology (Books) #330 in Emotional Mental Health #1,119 in Happiness Self-Help |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,657) |
