The Self-Help Shelf

Your Brain and Your Happiness
Talzoya
Voltis Press
9781735375885, $19.99, HC, 148pp

https://www.amazon.com/Your-Brain-Happiness-Talzoya/dp/1735375888

Synopsis: Temperament, which represents constitutional differences in react= ivity and self-regulation with respect to rewards and punishments, influenc=
es the degree to which we are resilient versus vulnerable to the hard knock=
s of life. Of particular importance are the personality traits of Extravers= ion (the tendency to be bold, assertive, outgoing, talkative, gregarious, a=
nd enthusiastic) and neuroticism (the tendency to experience anxiety, irrit= ability, and various other negative emotions). Extraversion predicts higher=
well-being whereas neuroticism predicts lower well-being, not only in the = present but also many years into the future, suggesting that personality ha=
s a sustained impact on happiness over time.

Interpersonal variation in temperament reflects underlying differences in b= rain structure and biochemistry. When properly understood, the links betwee=
n nervous system differences on the one hand and personality and subjective=
well-being on the other have profound implications for enhancing the quali=
ty of our lives.

Personality traits may establish our baseline levels of joy, meaning, and c= ontentment. This happiness set point is then pushed and pulled about as goo=
d and bad things happen to us. How do personality traits enhance happiness =
or undermine it? Do certain life events have the power to permanently modif=
y our happiness set point? What actions can we take to spend most of our li= ves in the upper half of our biological happiness range? How can we set and=
adjust life goals to maximize our well-being? Can money buy happiness?

"Your Brain and Your Happiness" is a comprehensive guide to understanding t=
he elements of happiness based on years of groundbreaking scientific resear= ch. It also incorporates practical and empowering happiness strategies to h= elp us realize our innate potential for joy and ways to sustain it in our l= ives.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, impressively organized, and thoroughl=
y 'reader friendly' in presentation, "Your Brain and Your Happiness" by Tal= zoya will be of immense and special appeal to anyone with an interest in th=
e subject of emotional mental health. While unreservedly recommended for bo=
th community and academic library self- help/self/improvement collections, =
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Your Brain and Your Hap= piness" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781735375878, $1= 4.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

Editorial Note: Talzoya (https://www.goodreads.com/author/20495624.Talzoya/= questions) is a nuclear physicist by education and the author of Of Lovers,=
Lonely Hearts, and the Psychotic Spell Called Falling in Love and The Trai=
ts of Powerful People, as well as numerous scientific publications. Talzoya=
takes pride in distilling knowledge from fields as distinct as sociology, = biology, biochemistry, evolutionary psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscienc=
e into a readable format accessible to all, so that we may all benefit from=
the findings of science.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.8 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: ---:- FTN<->UseNet Gate -:--- (3:633/280.2@fidonet)