Happy

Derren explores the history and philosophy of happiness and explains why everything is fine, more or less…!

The Sunday Times Bestseller

‘Really brilliant and just crammed with wisdom and insight. It will genuinely make a difference to me and the way I think about myself.’ Stephen Fry

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Everyone says they want to be happy. But that’s much more easily said than done. What does being happy actually mean? And how do you even know when you feel it?

In Happy Derren Brown explores changing concepts of happiness – from the surprisingly modern wisdom of the Stoics and Epicureans in classical times right up until today, when the self-help industry has attempted to claim happiness as its own. He shows how many of self-help’s suggested routes to happiness and success – such as positive thinking, self-belief and setting goals – can be disastrous to follow and, indeed, actually cause anxiety.

Happy aims to reclaim happiness and to enable us to appreciate the good things in life, in all their transient glory. By taking control of the stories we tell ourselves, by remembering that ‘everything’s fine’ even when it might not feel that way, we can allow ourselves to flourish and to live more happily.

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What readers are saying-

• ’Immensely positive and life-affirming’
• ’This is the blue print to a good life’
• ’Thought provoking and potentially life-changing.’

Author Biography

Derren began his UK television career in December 2000 with a series of specials called Mind Control. Since redefining the genre of magic for intelligent, modern audiences, he has become synonymous with the art of psychological manipulation. His TV shows have become must-see events. Amongst a varied and notorious career, Derren has played Russian Roulette on live television, convinced middle-managers to commit an armed robbery in the street, led the nation in a seance, stuck viewers to their sofas, successfully predicted the National Lottery, motivated a shy man to land a packed passenger plane at 30,000 feet, exposed psychic and faith-healing charlatans, and hypnotised a man to assassinate Stephen Fry. On top of this he tours the UK every year with a sell-out stage show and has recently finished a run on Broadway, NYC.

He has published five books- Tricks of the Mind, Confessions of a Conjuror, Happy, A Little Happier and a book of his caricatures, Portraits.