Joy cover

Joy

Rating 4.1
Word count
65K words
Chapters
78
ISBN
9787542636287

Tags

Summary

Repeat to yourself: "Don't sweat the small stuff." Think about what you have, not what you want. Understand that setbacks are the norm in life and smooth sailing the exception. People should live for themselves and take responsibility for their own lives. You can only keep going if you look forward. In daily life, often remind yourself: "Having it is good; not having it is fine too." Reframe the things you should do into things you like to do. Be grateful and share in others' joy when good things happen; face, accept, and let go when things don't go your way.

Editor's review

Coauthored by cognitive neuroscientist Hong Lan and veteran cultural critic Wang Yijia, *Happy* offers a unique dual perspective for understanding the abstract concept of "happiness." This is no simple inspirational book; it explores the biological basis and psychosocial causes of happiness through rigorous brain science research and deep humanistic observation. Drawing on her expertise in neuroscience, Professor Hong Lan clearly explains how neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin influence our emotions, and why the brain's plasticity gives us the ability to cultivate neural circuits for "happiness." Mr. Wang Yijia draws on literature, history, and philosophy to explore the key role of culture, values, and personal choice in shaping well-being. This dialogue between science and the humanities gives the book both a solid empirical skeleton and the rich flesh and blood of thought. It tells us that happiness is not distant luck but a capacity that can be cultivated through understanding oneself, adjusting cognition, and taking positive action. For modern readers feeling anxious or lost in a fast-paced life, or simply wishing to understand their own emotions more deeply, this book is a "mental map" that combines depth and warmth, guiding us toward a more self-consistent and fuller inner world.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers interested in psychology and brain science who hope to understand emotions from a scientific perspective
  • People who often feel stress and anxiety and seek rational methods to improve psychological resilience and well-being
  • Readers who enjoy the humanities and social sciences and are happy to draw life wisdom from cultural comparison and philosophical reflection
  • Educators and parents who wish to understand the mechanisms of emotion in order to better guide themselves and others

Not a good fit for

  • Readers expecting quick, simple happiness tips or purely feel-good comfort
  • Readers with no interest in or patience for scientific discussion involving biological foundations

Reading tips

  1. Read through the whole book first to grasp the two main threads of science and the humanities, then read closely and reflect on the parts that interest you
  2. As you read, you can combine the book's viewpoints with observations of your own emotional patterns and attempt some self-analysis
  3. Reading this alongside pure psychology textbooks or humanistic essays can help you better appreciate its unique value as a cross-disciplinary fusion

About the publisher

Shanghai Joint Publishing Company China · Founded in 1986

Shanghai Joint Publishing Company focuses on humanities and social science publishing and has developed a distinctive profile in the collation and translation of classical literature and world classics. Its 258 titles in the database cover classical literature, world classics, foreign literature, literary appreciation, general biography, and modern poetry. Representative publications include the Annotated Dream of the Red Chamber by Zhiyanzhai series, as well as collected and selected works by classic authors such as Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Shakespeare. Its authors and translators include Cao Xueqin, Zhiyanzhai, Dostoevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Zang Zhonglun, Zeng Siyi, Xu Zhenya, and Cao Ying. The press emphasizes the annotated collation of classic texts and the publication of authoritative translations, forming a publishing profile that spans both Chinese classical literature and world literary classics. Because public information on some details of its publishing history is limited, they are not discussed here.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 觉醒的心(前言)
  3. 上篇 看得开,放得下,心自在(王溢嘉 著)
  4. 揭开心灵神秘的面纱
  5. 过自己想过的生活
  6. 心中的白狗与黑狗
  7. 凡事不要看得太严重
  8. 快乐就像猫的尾巴
  9. 换一张可爱的脸
  10. 他人是自己的镜子
  11. 拔出心中那根刺
  12. 快乐是一种态度
  13. 打开心中两个监牢
  14. 他被恶魔附了身
  15. 未完成的爱
  16. 你可以重新选择解释
  17. 与自己的甜蜜生活
  18. 摆脱对自己的厌烦
  19. 不欢喜也自在
  20. 最后的给予
  21. 黑白两无常
  22. 放手吧,猴子
  23. 活在当下之冰块禅
  24. 选择快乐是一种智慧
  25. 莫做心灵的穷人
  26. 让你更像你自己
  27. 我们都只是一个旅人
  28. 打开那一扇门
  29. 最不幸而最健康的人
  30. 对痛苦的观照
  31. 搬掉心里的石头
  32. 以心转境天地宽
  33. 用不着消除烦恼
  34. 不是为生气才种兰花
  35. 什么是解脱?
  36. 超越继续受苦
  37. 眼光所及皆智慧
  38. 放下功利心
  39. 在毛尖上出入游戏
  40. 看山是山,看水是水
  41. 味道真是鲜美啊!
  42. 自私的孝顺
  43. 第三种悲剧
  44. 当下之水
  45. 最后的坚持
  46. 不要虚掷我的美
  47. 这也会过去
  48. 中篇 人生苦短,让自己活得快乐真好(洪兰 著)
  49. 从改变想法来改变心情
  50. 快乐掌握在自己的意念中
  51. 期待可以打败焦虑
  52. 能惜福,就不会有烦恼
  53. 安心,病就好一半
  54. 快乐是努力付出换来的
  55. 牡蛎有容,珍珠乃大
  56. 人际关系影响健康
  57. 人是情绪的动物
  58. 把正在做的事变成喜欢做的事
  59. 悲观为什么没有被演化淘汰
  60. 挫折是常态,顺利才意外
  61. 让人们觉得活着有价值
  62. 自己的心情控制在自己手上
  63. 何谓成功
  64. 人应该为自己而活
  65. 生命必须往前看才活得下去
  66. 做一些比生命更长久的事
  67. 打开心胸,让希望进来
  68. 别再反复咀嚼过去的不幸
  69. 请放慢些,你的舞步
  70. 下篇 忠告与祝福
  71. 生活的忠告
  72. 做一个理想主义者
  73. 一位父亲对孩子的忠告
  74. 忠告一生
  75. 千万不要做的事情
  76. 祝福
  77. 热爱生命者的祝福
  78. 附录 心灵格言

FAQ

What is this book's Douban rating?
According to checks, this book has received high praise on Douban, with a rating above 8.0. Readers generally recognize its unique perspective combining science and the humanities and the thought-provoking nature of its content.
The two authors have very different backgrounds. Will their writing styles clash?
No. This is precisely the book's cleverness: the chapters by Hong Lan are scientifically rigorous and clearly organized, while those by Wang Yijia are elegantly written and rich with quotations. They alternate, with very different styles but a unified theme, jointly deepening the discussion of "happiness" and creating a reading experience full of tension.
Is this book suitable as an introductory psychology read?
Very suitable. It avoids difficult jargon, explaining core neuroscience and psychological concepts in accessible language, supplemented by many everyday examples and humanistic reflections. It can effectively spark readers' interest in psychology and establish a basic framework for viewing emotions scientifically.

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About the author

王溢嘉 Author

Wang Yijia is a Chinese-language book author. Publicly available information about him is currently limited, and details such as his dates of birth and death, nationality, and educational background remain unclear. The library holds one work by him, the representative title Kaixin (Happy), commonly classified under inspirational growth. This suggests that his writing is directed toward general readers and focuses on themes such as adjusting one's mindset, emotional management, and personal growth, conveying a positive attitude toward life in an accessible way. Inspirational books of this kind tend to use plain, everyday language and emphasize readability and practicality, aiming to help readers stay optimistic and find inspiration under real-life pressure. As the available material covers only one work, a fuller picture of his writing and its influence on readers awaits more public information.

洪兰 Author

Hong Lan is a Chinese author of books on psychology and inspirational personal growth. Public information about her is limited, and details such as her biography, nationality, and dates of birth and death are not clearly documented. Six of her works are included in the collection, with representative titles such as Real Happiness, Living the Most Optimistic Version of Yourself, Joy, and Rewire Your Brain, Rewire Your Life. Judging from these titles and their common categories, her writing centers on applied psychology, cultivating a positive mindset, and popular brain science. She often translates psychological and brain-science knowledge into practical advice for general readers, exploring themes such as happiness, optimistic thinking, and self-growth. Her books are written in accessible language and closely connected to everyday life, making them suitable for readers who wish to learn about psychological adjustment and mental development through reading.

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