Richard Layard

There is a paradox at the heart of our lives. We all want more money, but as societies become richer, they do not become happier. This is not speculation: It's the story told by countless pieces of scientific research. We now have sophisticated ways of measuring how happy people are, and all the evidence shows that on average people have grown no happier in the last fifty years, even as average incomes have more than doubled.

De la mano de la figura más destacada de la nueva ciencia de la felicidad nos llega esta innovadora obra que descubre qué es la felicidad y qué podemos hacer para conseguirla. Todos tenemos alguna opinion sobre las causas de la felicidad, pero las investigaciones recientes demuestran que solemos equivocarnos. Podemos pensar, por ejemplo, que el dinero da la felicidad. En realidad, no es tan sencillo. Actualmente disponemos de metodos sofisticados para calcular el grado de felicidad de la gente y todo apunta a que, en general, no se es mas feliz hoy que hace cincuenta años, a pesar de que la media de ingresos se haya duplicado.Si de verdad queremos ser mas felices, ¿que habria que cambiar? En primer lugar, deberiamos comprender las condiciones que generan la verdadera felicidad y, despues, poner todo nuestro empeño en lograrlas. Este es el proposito del libro: encontrar el origen de la felicidad y buscar los medios para alcanzarla.

In this landmark book, Richard Layard shows that there is a paradox at the heart of our lives. Most people want more income. Yet as societies become richer, they do not become happier. This is not just anecdotally true, it is the story told by countless pieces of scientific research. We now have sophisticated ways of measuring how happy people are, and all the evidence shows that on average people have grown no happier in the last fifty years, even as average incomes have more than doubled. In fact, the First World has more depression, more alcoholism and more crime than fifty years ago. This paradox is true of Britain, the United States, continental Europe, and Japan. What is going on?

“Richard Layard torna a sacsejar-ho tot. El seu entretingut nou llibre sobre la felicitat no farà feliços els economistes convencionals, però ens hauria de fer reflexionar a tots plegats amb més prof

¿La comida basura, el alcohol, el estrés y los hogares rotos han conducido a un deterioro de la infancia? ¿La infancia es como debiera ser? ¿Es la vida más difícil para los niños ahora que antes? ¿Por qué? Este libro es el resultado de una gran encuesta sobre la infancia llevada a cabo en Reino Unido que explora las influencias más importantes a las que está expuesto el niño (familia, amigos, cultura juvenil, escuela...). Asimismo, ofrece propuestas imaginativas para que la infancia sea mejor para todos los niños con independencia de sus antecedentes, y da los valores que necesitan para ser felices y desarrollarse. Los temas aquí tratados son de especial importancia para padres de niños de todas las edades, para profesores y para todo aquel que le preocupe el futuro de nuestra sociedad.

Actualment som molt més rics que en generacions anteriors. Gaudim de més aliments, més roba, més cotxes i vacances, cases més grans, feines més agradables i millor salut. Però malgrat que els ingress

From the bestselling author of Happiness and co-editor of the annual World Happiness ReportMost people now realize that economic growth, however desirable, will not solve all our problems. Instead, we need a philosophy and a science which encompasses a much fuller range of human need and experience.This book argues that the goal for a society must be the greatest possible all-round happiness, and shows how each of us can become more effective creators of happiness, both as citizens and in our own organizations.Written with Richard Layards characteristic clarity, it provides hard evidence that increasing happiness is the right aim, and that it can be achieved. Its language is simple, its evidence impressive, its effect inspiring.In this book Can We Be Happier? which is part of Richard Layards excellent, ongoing exploration of what happiness is and how it can be achieved, he provides evidence that if you have peace of mind and are full of joy, your health will be good, your family will be happy and that happiness will affect the atmosphere of the community in which you live.The Dalai Lama

In this new edition of his landmark book, Richard Layard shows that there is a paradox at the heart of our lives. Most people want more income. Yet as societies become richer, they do not become happier. This is not just anecdotally true, it is the story told by countless pieces of scientific research. We now have sophisticated ways of measuring how happy people are, and all the evidence shows that on average people have grown no happier in the last fifty years, even as average incomes have more than doubled. In fact, the First World has more depression, more alcoholism and more crime than fifty years ago. This paradox is true of Britain, the United States, continental Europe, and Japan. What is going on? Now fully revised and updated to include developments since first publication, Layard answers his critics in what is still the key book in happiness studies.

A ground-breaking argument for better treatment of mental health from Richard Layard (author of Happiness) and David M. Clark.Britain has become a world leader in providing psychological therapies thanks to the work of Richard Layard and David Clark. But, even so, in Britain and worldwide the majority of people who need help still dont get treatment. This is both unjust and a false economy.This book argues for change. It shows that mental ill-health causes more of the suffering in our society than physical illness, poverty or unemployment. Moreover, greater spending on helping people to recover from mental health problems - and stay well - would generate massive savings to national economies, as those who suffer from depression and anxiety disorders account for nearly a half of all disability and are predominantly of working age. Modern talking therapies, such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), are highly effective, and if more sufferers got these treatments, lives would be turned around and the cost would be fully covered by the huge savings.Thrive explores the new effective solutions to the misery and injustice caused by mental illness. It describes how successful psychological treatments have been developed and explains what works best for whom. It also urges us to do all we can to prevent these problems in the first place, through better schools and a better society. And, most importantly, it offers real hope.This book is an inspiring success story and a stirring call to further action. Its message is as compelling as it is important: the social costs of mental illness are terribly high and the costs of effective treatments are surprisingly low Daniel KahnemanExtremely easy and pleasurable to read. Its the most comprehensive, humane and generous study of mental illness that Ive come across Melvyn BraggRemarkable . . . presents the issues in a style that easy for the professional, the general public, and policy makers to understand Aaron T BeckProfessors Layard and Clark (the Dream Team of British Social Science) make a compelling case for a massive injection of resources into the treatment and prevention of mental illness. This is simply the best book on public policy and mental health ever written Martin SeligmanRICHARD LAYARD is one of the worlds leading labour economists, and in 2008 received the IZA International Prize for Labour Economics. A member of the House of Lords, he has done much to raise the public profile of mental health. His 2005 book Happiness has been translated into 20 languages.DAVID M. CLARK, Professor of Psychology at Oxford, is one of the worlds leading experts on CBT, responsible for much progress in treatment methods. With Richard Layard, he was the main driver behind the UKs Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme.

Every day the newspapers lament the problems facing our children - broken homes, pressures to eat and drink, the stress of exams. The same issues are discussed in every pub and at every dinner party. But is life really more difficult for children than it was, and if so why? And how can we make it better? This book, which is a result of a two year investigation by the Childrens Society and draws upon the work of the UKs leading experts in many fields, explores the main stresses and influences to which every child is exposed - family, friends, youth culture, values, and schooling, and will make recommendations as to how we can improve the upbringing of our children. It tackles issues which affect every child, whatever their background, and questions and provides solutions to the belief that life has become so extraordinarily difficult for children in general.The experts make 30 specific recommendations, written not from the point of view of academics, but for the general reader - above all for parents and teachers. We expect publication to be a major event and the centre of widespread media attention.