Interview with Rafa Euba, author of You are not meant to be happy. So stop trying!
Rafa Euba, author of You are not meant to be happy. So stop trying! recommends a great group of books! Before jumping into the interview, please check out Rafa's book:
Review from Amazon:
Our DNA doesn’t want to make us happy. It prefers to keep us forever anxious about potential threats and in need of new rewards that will never quite satisfy us. Our biological self is naturally unhappy, as the 10th century Caliph of Córdoba discovered when he counted the days he had felt happy in his whole life and found they amounted to only 14.
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You are not meant to be happy. So stop trying!
Through a series of conversations with his patients – some funny, others poignant – Rafa Euba reflects on the futility of chasing happiness as a goal, while accepting that money, pills, sex and food sometimes make this quest more agreeable. Yet, even then, the so-called “Paradox of Hedonism” stops us from enjoying ourselves too much, and not even our dreams at night offer respite from our biologically-determined unhappiness.
The author looks for evidence of happiness in the workings of our brain, in our mythology, and in even in fairy tales, but can’t find any. He also looks for it in self-help books, but concludes that their vacuous optimism can’t possibly lead to a state of emotional contentment. This is because however hard we may try to govern our emotions, they will inevitably remain mixed and messy. Happiness is a myth, an ethereal ghost that inhabits our brain only as an abstract idea.
Rafa Euba is a seasoned psychiatrist, who can’t help constantly pondering about the flaws and wonders of human nature, even when he should be doing other things.
Buy On:
Easons £8.99
Q. Do you have a favourite smart thinking book (and why that book)?
Are You Thinking Clearly?: 29 reasons you aren't, and what to do about it by Miriam Frankel and Matt Warren. We believe we are in full control of our minds, but this book explains how our thought processes and decision making are influenced and biased by a variety of factors, such as our erratic emotions, or even our body physiology. Thinking isn’t a purely intellectual exercise that can always be carried out reliably and too often we aren’t even aware of our biases, which this book helps us identify. It is an enjoyable and very engaging read. Unlike some other non-fiction books, which may be merely informative, this one will also entertain the reader from beginning to end. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Review from Book Depository:
Do emotions really cloud your thinking? Are habits holding you back? Is AI manipulating your mind? Does IQ help you think better?
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Are You Thinking Clearly?: 29 reasons you aren't, and what to do about it
Every one of our thoughts, actions, moods and decisions is shaped by a whole array of factors, most of which we don't pay any attention to. From culture, time and language to genetics, technology and the microorganisms living inside us - even our own unconscious routines and habits - it's clear that we aren't always in the driving seat.
The good news is that by better understanding the external and internal forces at work, we can minimise their impact on our lives. Drawing on rigorous interdisciplinary research, leading science journalists Miriam Frankel and Matt Warren bring us extraordinary stories and studies that open our eyes to the inner workings of the mind, challenge our thought processes and improve our decision-making. Most of all, Are You Thinking Clearly? is a rallying cry to know yourself, think broadly, think boldly - and to listen.
Buy On:
Easons €28.00
Book Depository €19.30
Waterstones £17.99
Wordery $18.29
Q. What's the most recent smart thinking book you've read (and how would you rate it)?
The Age of Absurdity by Michael Foley. This excellent book explains why modern life makes it hard to be happy. It highlights the absurdity of our times, particularly in relation to our pursuit of happiness, but it does so without resorting to bitterness. Thought provoking and actually very funny.
Review from Book Depository:
The good news is that the great thinkers from history have proposed the same strategies for happiness and fulfilment. The bad news is that these turn out to be the very things most discouraged by contemporary culture. This knotty dilemma is the subject of The Age of Absurdity - a humourous and accessible investigation into how the desirable states of wellbeing and satisfaction are constantly undermined by modern life.
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The Age Of Absurdity: Why Modern Life Makes It Hard To Be Happy
Michael Foley examines the elusive conditions of happiness common to philosophy, spiritual teachings and contemporary psychology, then shows how these are becoming increasingly difficult to apply in a world of high expectations. The common challenges of earning a living, maintaining a relationship and ageing are becoming battlegrounds of existential angst and self-loathing in a culture that demands conspicuous consumption, high-octane partnerships and perpetual youth.
Rather than denouncing and rejecting these challenges, Foley presents an entertaining strategy of not just accepting but embracing today's world - finding happiness in its absurdity.
Buy On:
Easons €10.07
Book Depository €8.44
Waterstones £9.99
Wordery $9.99
Q. Do you have a favourite childhood book?
Tintin in Tibet, by Hergé. In fact, I loved the entire Tintin series when I was a boy, and even now I still grab a Tintin book in bed when I’m feeling a bit rough psychologically. They seem to have a very reliable soothing effect on me. They are, admittedly, very male (there are hardly any female characters in them) and the plot lines can be a bit convoluted, but the Tintin books are as unique as they are charming and evocative.
Review From Book Depository: Herge's classic comic book creation Tintin is one of the most recognisable characters in children's books. These highly collectible editions of the original 24 adventures will delight Tintin fans old and new. Perfect for lovers of graphic novels, mysteries and historical adventures.
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Tintin in Tibet
The world's most famous travelling reporter is devastated at the death of his dear friend, Chang. But what if all is not as it seems? After a strange dream, Tintin becomes convinced Chang is alive. Together with Captain Haddock, he sets out on an impossible mission, an adventure deep into the mountains, through blizzards and caves of ice. They must find Chang at all costs!
Join the most iconic character in comics as he embarks on an extraordinary adventure spanning historical and political events, and thrilling mysteries. Still selling over 100,000 copies every year in the UK and having been adapted for the silver screen by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in 2011.
The Adventures of Tintin continue to charm more than 90 years after they first found their way into publication. Since then more than 230 million copies have been sold, proving that comic books have the same power to entertain children and adults in the 21st century as they did in the early 20th.
Herge (Georges Remi) was born in Brussels in 1907. Over the course of 54 years he completed over 20 titles in The Adventures of Tintin series, which is now considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, comics series of all time.
Buy On:
Easons €15.39
Book Depository €10.89
Waterstones £10.99
Wordery $12.20
Q. Do you prefer reading on paper, Kindle or listening to an audiobook?
I am a very avid reader and read both paper and e-books, but I haven’t learnt to love audiobooks just yet. I enjoy the feel of a paper book in my hands, but I also like carrying a small library in my Kindle.
Q. Do you have a favourite bookshop (and why that shop)?
I love Daunt Books in Marylebone, London. It’s a beautiful shop.
Many thanks to Rafa for recommending a great group of books! Please don't forget to check out You are not meant to be happy. So stop trying!.
Daryl
Image Copyrights: Crux Publishing (You are not meant to be happy.), Hodder & Stoughton General Division (Are You Thinking Clearly?), Simon & Schuster Ltd (The Age of Absurdity), HarperCollins Publishers (Tintin in Tibet).
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