Our book critic Don George is back this month with a review of The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World. (And no, author Eric Weiner wasn't seeking out the Disney properties.) Weiner, a former NPR foreign correspondent, traipsed from Norway to Thailand, Moldova to Bhutan (where they measure Gross National Happiness) exploring the theories behind what makes a country smile. George writes:
Weiner is a perceptive traveler, and he enlivens and deepens his narrative quest by seeking out knowledgeable locals and expats wherever he goes, allowing him to create an illuminating anecdotal topo map of each country's psychographic landscape.
I finished The Geography of Bliss feeling like I had just taken a whirlwind tour of the world with an engaging and well-informed guide, utilizing an important and too often overlooked compass: happiness.
IT would like to see a copy of that "psychographic landscape" map, as it'd be nice to know where to avoid bumping into international grumps. Read the rest of the column for holiday shopping tips, and other must-reads this month.
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