The Conquest of Happiness

by Bertrand Russell

“Should be read by every parent, teacher, minister, and Congressman in the land.”—The Atlantic In ''The Conquest of Happiness,'' first published in 1930 and now public domain, iconoclastic philosopher Bertrand Russell attempted to diagnose the myriad causes of unhappiness in modern life and chart a path out of the seemingly inescapable malaise so prevalent even in safe and prosperous Western societies. More than eighty years later, Russell’s wisdom remains as true as it was on its initial release. Eschewing guilt-based morality, Russell lays out a rationalist prescription for living a happy life, including the importance of cultivating interests outside oneself and the dangers of passive pleasure.