Up: How Positive Outlook Can Transform Our Health and Aging

Tindle urges readers to give positive psychology a chance for the sake of a longer, healthier, happier life, in this powerful call to action. The assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine begins by presenting sobering evidence for the detrimental physiological effects of negative emotional states—a correlation has been shown between feelings of anger and hostility and heart disease, and tests indicate that individuals with “high levels of emotional distress” are more likely to suffer from dementia. In order to avoid these and other pitfalls, Tindle elucidates her “7 Steps of Attitudinal Change,” beginning with a self-assessment to help readers achieve the first goal: “Determine your current attitude latitude.” From there, she guides readers along a proactive path intended to redirect their gaze upward and onward. Practical activities along the way include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques and guided meditation, and Tindle provides several successful case studies to demonstrate the real-world effects of her prescriptions. Anyone looking to make an attitude adjustment for his or her physical or mental health will find something of value in Tindle’s advice, and her final chapter on applying her ideas to the betterment of a larger community is inspiring. Agent: Rebecca Gradinger, Fletcher & Co. (May 30)