Submitted by Sue-Marie on Fri, 02/01/2008 - 10:27am.
You started this book before me and warned it was a dry read.This was not my experience of the book.I found it to be a rich examination of how philosophers and psychologists have approached this topic going back to the ancient Greeks.Rather than see this as repetitive, I found myself noticing patterns.One thing that helps me determine whether concepts are purely theoretical or actually descriptive of human nature is to consider if the concepts have withstood the test of time.I consider the pursuit of happiness to be germane to humanity because people have concerned themselves with it throughout recorded history.
To me, the fact so many points were examined through different perspectives merely offered support that these are valid points.This is what makes Compton’s book different from, say, a book by Wayne Dyer.I appreciated that Compton’s ego stayed out of the book, and found it to be quite well written and well presented.I don’t know that I would recommend it to a lay person.But for anyone studying psychology or working in the helping professions, I would recommend it without hesitation.
You started this book before me and warned it was a dry read. This was not my experience of the book. I found it to be a rich examination of how philosophers and psychologists have approached this topic going back to the ancient Greeks. Rather than see this as repetitive, I found myself noticing patterns. One thing that helps me determine whether concepts are purely theoretical or actually descriptive of human nature is to consider if the concepts have withstood the test of time. I consider the pursuit of happiness to be germane to humanity because people have concerned themselves with it throughout recorded history.
To me, the fact so many points were examined through different perspectives merely offered support that these are valid points. This is what makes Compton’s book different from, say, a book by Wayne Dyer. I appreciated that Compton’s ego stayed out of the book, and found it to be quite well written and well presented. I don’t know that I would recommend it to a lay person. But for anyone studying psychology or working in the helping professions, I would recommend it without hesitation.