This well-written, entertaining book should be required reading for informed, concerned citizens. Read the introduction, and I guarantee you’ll be concerned. Finish the book, and I know you’ll be well-informed.

The subtitle, Why It's Time to Stop Chasing Growth and Start Pursuing Happiness hints at the authors’ reasons for writing. They argue that the GNP and GDP are flawed measurements that mislead the public and policy-makers. In one stunning example, they explain that if we judge America’s well-being by the GDP, a stellar day would be one in which we get stuck in traffic, get in a car accident and get divorced, then are hospitalized and robbed, since all those negative experiences necessitate more expenditure. De Graaf and Batker propose alternate benchmarks for success and personal and policy changes to help achieve them. They use illustrative examples from the kitchen table to the board room, from the choices of Batker’s three-year-old son to those of President Sarkozy of France.

I feel inspired and provoked by this book. With Occupy Wall Street, President Obama’s American Jobs Act, and the economy so much in the news and on our minds, this was a refreshing and timely look at what is (and what should be) important for the well-being of our country.

I’m excited to welcome author John de Graaf to the store for a presentation and signing of his book on Friday, November 18th starting at 6:00. He’ll tell us about the book, his documentaries, and a remarkable project from Sustainable Seattle, the Happiness Initiative. Come and be inspired! ~Tegan