Hector and the Search for Happiness

Hector and the Search for Happiness by Francois Lelord

This best selling French novel is being published in English and released in the U.S. in September, 2010. A film is currently being made as well as two follow up novels, HECTOR AND THE SECRETS OF LOVE and HECTOR IN PURSUIT OF TIME to be released in France this year.

Hector is a French psychiatrist who has realized that a large number of the patients he treats are very unhappy and yet seem to have no clear reasons why they are unhappy. Hector decides that he is becoming unhappy himself and wants to undertake a journey to understand what makes people happy. During his journey around the world he imparts little bits of wisdom. The book encompasses up to 23 individual lessons. The story is told with a simplistic voice.

I think this book appeals to readers because we are all searching for happiness. Lesson number 7 states: It's a mistake to think that happiness is the goal. I found this lesson intriguing. It is probably the lesson I learned the most from. There are many determinants of happiness and happiness is hard to measure in each individual. The lesson I learned from this book is that happiness is found when you are not searching for it.

I have read some non-fiction books about happiness and as I was reading about Hector, I kept thinking about them. THE BEGGAR KING AND THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS is awesome! I also loved A SHORT GUIDE TO A HAPPY LIFE by Anna Quindlan. THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS is the non-fiction version of HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS. Both travel around the world to search for happiness, both speak to a professor of happiness studies. I think they would make excellent companion reads. the voice in each are drastically different but would make great discussion for book clubs.



If you are unhappy, you need to check your vitamin D levels and read a few of these books. If you are happy, like me, you will love the journey of happiness these 4 books could take you on.
So hop on the happiness train.

I received this book from Crazy Book Tours. If you would like to read and review it, go and sign up, as there is still space available.

What makes you happy?