The Good LifeThe Good Life
What it's about
The Harvard Study of Adult Development has followed hundreds of people since 1938, the longest study of human happiness ever. Its current directors, Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz, explain what it shows: that close relationships, more than money or fame, are what make us happy and healthy.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's warm, wise and backed by real science.
You'll love it if you liked
The Comfort Book
Meditations for Mortals
All About Love: New VisionsGood to know
It's self-help, with some practical exercises.
By the numbers
- Readers62 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller13 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Practical
If you like this, read next
The Anxious Generation
Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity
What Happened to You?
Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How to Use It
The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture
The Let Them TheoryExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Good Life worth reading?
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 63.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Good Life about?
The Harvard Study of Adult Development has followed hundreds of people since 1938, the longest study of human happiness ever. Its current directors, Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz, explain what it shows: that close relationships, more than money or fame, are what make us happy and healthy.
How long does it take to read The Good Life?
About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Good Life?
If you liked it, try The Comfort Book by Matt Haig, Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman or All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks.