Central Skagit Library District

Manson turns his gaze to the endless calamities taking place in the world around us. Drawing from psychological research on these topics, as well as the timeless wisdom of philosophers such as Plato, Nietzsche, and Tom Waits, he dissects religion and politics and the uncomfortable ways they have come to resemble one another. He looks at our relationships with money, entertainment and the internet, and how too much of a good thing can psychologically...

"Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey combine their decades of experience studying happiness from every angle to show readers how to improve their lives right now, instead of waiting for the outside world to change. They offer a research-based work plan that shows the reader how to manage their emotions so they no longer control their outlook and behavior; turn life's inevitable difficulties and challenges into opportunities for growth; strengthen their...

"When Lisa Olivera was just a few hours old, she was abandoned behind a rock near Muir Woods in Northern California. She was found by a man and a woman who were out bird watching with their toddler. Two days later, she was adopted. Growing up, she knew she was adopted. She later discovered she was abandoned. She often wondered about her birth mother, and why her birth mother abandoned her in the woods. Without any answers, Lisa came up with her own:...

"Bring meaning and joy to all your days with this internationally bestselling guide to the Japanese concept of ikigai -- the happiness of always being busy -- as revealed by the daily habits of the world's longest-living people."--Amazon.com summary. According to the Japanese, everyone has an ikigai, a reason for living. And according to the residents of the Japanese village with the world's longest-living people, finding it is the key to a happier...

"Ben loves to draw. Drawing makes him happy, and he uses his drawing talent to also make others around him happy. One day, he has an idea: what if he started a Happiness Club? To become a member of the club, all a child has to do is use their own unique talents to make another member of the club happy. In this uplifting, diverse, and beautifully illustrated book, children will learn how the exponential power of love, respect, and friendship can be...

"Michael Easter, author of The Comfort Crisis and one of the world's leading experts on behavior change, shows that the problem isn't you. The problem is your scarcity mindset, left over from our ancient ancestors. They had to constantly seek and consume to survive because vital survival tools like food, material goods, information, and power were scarce and hard to find. But with our modern ability to easily fulfill our ancient desire for more, our...

Eleven-year-old Darcy just moved to a new country. She's feeling lost and misses her friends back home. That's when she stumbles upon a shop full of mysterious glowing jars labeled with things like "Picking up the last sweater on the rack and it's on sale" and "Having the perfect weather on your wedding day." Much to Darcy's surprise-this store sells happy feelings. After Darcy accidentally breaks one of the irreplaceable jars, she must make it up...

"The Danes taught us how to embrace coziness and contentment. Now, the Swedes show us how to pause and savor the moment, to njuta, a philosophy closely tied to Swedish life and culture. Deeply ingrained in the Swedish psyche, njuta is about simplicity and intent in every aspect of life, from daily routines and leisure to family and food and everything in between. The Swedish delight in the simple things in life"--