Robert A Emmons - Thanks! - How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier

From Publishers Weekly

This fine, succinct contribution to the relatively new field of positive psychology (which seeks to promote emotional wellness, rather than treat disorder) focuses on what a French saying calls the memory of the heart. Emmons (The Psychology of Gratitude), a leader in the field and professor at UC-Davis, looks at gratitude from an interdisciplinary perspective, including literature, psychology, religion and anthropology. He demonstrates how it contributes to emotional equanimity and pleasure, richer personal relationships and greater health. Perhaps Emmons's most interesting chapter is on ingratitude, which Kant called the essence of vileness and which Emmons sees as resulting from the grudging resentment of one's own dependence on others. Gratitude is more... than a tool for self-improvement. Gratitude is a way of life Emmons says, and he ends by offering 10 ways to cultivate gratitude, including keeping a gratitude journal and learning prayers on gratitude. Emmons introduces an important topic through deftly synthesizing scientific and popular inspirational literature. (Aug. 6)

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Review

"A serious, skillful exploration of a current arena of psychological research, by one of the leaders in that emerging field." --Steve Heilig (The San Francisco Chronicle )



"We can all be grateful to Robert Emmons for this pioneering work." --David G. Myers, Ph.D., author of The Pursuit of Happiness



"Robert Emmons is the world's leading expert on the psychology of gratitude. . . This is a morally elevating book." --Jonathan Haidt, author of The Happiness Hypothesis



"I am convinced Robert Emmons is right: increasing the national state of gratitude would change the world." --Jim Clifton, Chairman & CEO of The Gallup Organization



"Emmons presents clear and practical ways in which everyone can begin to immensely improve their quality of life." --Dallas Willard, Professor of Philosophy at USC as well as author of Renovation of the Heart



"Gratitude's benefits should be enough to convince even the most cynical secularist that this emotion is essential for achieving happiness." -- Spirituality & Practice Magazine