--- title: Reading: 4 Books That Will Make You Happy And Successful description: Have a happy family canonical: https://time.com/3943190/books-happy-successful-good-life/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-03T04:01:14.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-31T08:33:52.350Z article:section: Ideas og:title: 4 Books That Will Make You Happy And Successful og:description: Have a happy family og:url: https://time.com/3943190/books-happy-successful-good-life/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta3304680e2bf75e1/69885944e53aba56cb4de6eb/man-reading-book.jpg?branch=production&width=828&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: man-reading-book og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 4 Books That Will Make You Happy And Successful twitter:description: Have a happy family twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta3304680e2bf75e1/69885944e53aba56cb4de6eb/man-reading-book.jpg?branch=production&width=828&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 4 Books That Will Make You Happy And Successful ## Video: 30 Under 30: Brandon Stanton, Creator of 'Humans of New York' [Watch (HLS stream): 30 Under 30: Brandon Stanton, Creator of 'Humans of New York'](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/zT7Xss3H.m3u8) (5:10)  _Published 2013-12-12. Brandon Stanton is the street photographer turned culture spotter behind the blog "Humans of New York." His photos have been called capsules of a moment in time, and are being imitated all over the world._ by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Jul 3, 2015 4:01 AM UTC  Senior man reading book, mid section Senior man reading book, mid sectionGetty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Jul 3, 2015 4:01 AM UTC **What is the good life?** That’s the primary question I’m trying to answer with this blog. Shortcuts and lifehacks are great. Surprising trivia is nice. But how can we really live great lives? I don’t have time for much less. And I don’t like corny fluff. I want answers backed by research, expertise or deep insight. **Here are four books that really helped me. And I think they’ll help you too.** ## Find Direction In Life **What is it?** Clayton Christensen’s [How Will You Measure Your Life?](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ID0CH4/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006ID0CH4&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) **What did I learn from it?** Harvard professor Clayton Christensen combines personal experience and MBA principles to provide a path for good life choices. **Confused about a rational but ethical way** [**to find your life’s purpose**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/08/what-is-life-all-about/)**? What your five year goals are? This is the book for you.** **Video:** (Short on time? Just watch from 7:50-11:34 mins.) Check it out [here](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ID0CH4/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006ID0CH4&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20). ## Be Happier **What is it?** Sonja Lyubomirsky’s [The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010O927W/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0010O927W&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20). **What did I learn from it?** [**5 hugs a day**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/02/checklist-8-day-happier/) **makes you a happier person. We often pick the easy, lazy choice but it’s** [**the challenges in life that bring joy**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/12/happy/)**.** These and many other great insights you can use every day to increase your smile-to-frown ratio. **Video:** This one is a very thorough overview of happiness research. Settle in to cover all the big points. Need a quicker version? Read [this](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/12/word-sum-happier/). Check it out [here](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010O927W/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0010O927W&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20). ## Be A Good Person Who Succeeds **What is it?** Wharton professor [Adam Grant](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/interview-wharton-business-school-professor-teaches-approach-give/)‘s [Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFPTSI0/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AFPTSI0&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20). **What did I learn from it?** People who give to others often get exploited and end up at the bottom of the heap. Not surprising. But givers also come out at the top of the heap: happier, more successful and loved. **Adam Grant’s well-researched book provides a strategy for being the latter:** [**a good person who succeeds due to their kindness**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/04/helping-happier/)**.** **Video:** (Short on time? Watch from 42 seconds in to 4:02.) Check it out [here](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFPTSI0/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AFPTSI0&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20). ## Have A Happy Family **What is it?** Bruce Feiler’s [The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089LOHHO/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0089LOHHO&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) **What did I learn from it?** **Feiler does an excellent job of rounding up the latest research on** [**what makes loving families thrive**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/10/how-to-have-a-happy-family/)**.** He gives surprising insights (kids should decide their own punishments), supports things we know in our hearts (grandmothers make a huge difference) and provides strategies you never would have thought of (the project management system used at the office can also help at home.) **Video:** (Short on time? Watch from 5:38 to 8:28.) Check it out [here](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089LOHHO/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0089LOHHO&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20). ## Sum Up Again, they are: * [How Will You Measure Your Life?](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ID0CH4/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006ID0CH4&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * [The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010O927W/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0010O927W&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * [Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFPTSI0/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AFPTSI0&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) * [The Secrets of Happy Families](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089LOHHO/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0089LOHHO&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) **Join over 195,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD)**.** **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/11/what-is-the-good-life/)**_._** Related posts: [What are the top five books you must read?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/12/books-missed/) [What are five books that can change your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/12/books/) [Which books can teach you how to be the best you?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/how-to-be-the-best-you/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3943190/books-happy-successful-good-life/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3943190/books-happy-successful-good-life/"},"headline":"4 Books That Will Make You Happy And Successful","datePublished":"2015-07-03T04:01:14.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:33:52.350Z","description":"Have a happy family","url":"https://time.com/3943190/books-happy-successful-good-life/","keywords":["Books","Psychology","Happiness","Life advice","Success topic"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta3304680e2bf75e1/69885944e53aba56cb4de6eb/man-reading-book.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta3304680e2bf75e1/69885944e53aba56cb4de6eb/man-reading-book.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"man-reading-book","caption":"man-reading-book","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/books/","name":"Books"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3943190/books-happy-successful-good-life/","name":"4 Books That Will Make You Happy And Successful"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"30 Under 30: Brandon Stanton, Creator of 'Humans of New York'","description":"Brandon Stanton is the street photographer turned culture spotter behind the blog \"Humans of New York.\" His photos have been called capsules of a moment in time, and are being imitated all over the world.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/zT7Xss3H/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2013-12-12T18:54:40.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/zT7Xss3H.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3943190/books-happy-successful-good-life/","duration":"PT5M10S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3943190/books-happy-successful-good-life/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```