Happy This Year: The Secret to Getting Happy Once and for All

Those searching for the key to happiness may feel like they've been here before. Motivational speaker Bowen (A Complaint Free World) imparts a lot of familiar advice to readers, like "believe you deserve happiness"; "see yourself as a happy person"; and "write a new story" for yourself. Still, Bowen be-gins this book with the example of a prosperous, but unhappy individual, and moves on to provide simple and specific questions and exercises to help readers reframe their thinking and increase their happiness. At the end of each chapter, Bowen provides helpful recaps and reminders, and offers a ho-listic approach that moves beyond reframing thinking to include physical fitness and lifestyle. There are some unexpected surprises, like why readers should avoid horror movies, or how his simple "Combo" formula (based on the anticipation of good deeds) might make a difference in personal out-look. Bowen also includes a wide variety of references and quotes to expand his appeal%E2%80%94from the Bi-ble, Bart Simpson, Thoreau, and George Carlin. Whether readers buy into his program remains to be seen, but Bowen is serious about his approach and insists that a strictly disciplined life is worth the payoff. (Apr.)