The conquest of happiness by Bertrand Russell
"The conquest of happiness" by Bertrand Russell is a philosophical self-help treatise written in the early 20th century. It offers a practical, commonsense programme for overcoming everyday unhappiness by changing habits of thought and life, moving from self-absorption and anxiety toward outward interests, affection, work, and balanced pleasures. The opening of the book sets a plainspoken aim: it is not for scholars but for ordinary readers seeking relief from day-to-day misery, and
it will focus on individual psychology rather than grand social reforms. Russell observes modern unhappiness everywhere and proposes to treat its personal causes, illustrated first through an autobiographical shift from morbid youth to growing joy via diminished self-focus. He diagnoses three self-centered types—the “sinner,” the narcissist, and the megalomaniac—then argues that fashionable, Byronic pessimism is a mood, not a rational verdict, and that active engagement with real life dispels it. He critiques the cult of competition, showing how the pursuit of success narrows living and poisons leisure, and contrasts it with quiet, restorative enjoyments. He distinguishes fruitful boredom from thrill-seeking overstimulation, urges mental discipline against worry and fear to reduce nervous fatigue, and finally turns to envy—its ubiquity, its corrosive effects, and the need to replace comparisons with admiration and gratitude—before the excerpt breaks off. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Russell, Bertrand, 1872-1970 |
|---|---|
| Title | The conquest of happiness |
| Original Publication | London: George Allen & Unwin, 1930. |
| Contents | Causes of unhappiness: What makes people unhappy? Byronic unhappiness. Competition. Boredom and excitement. Fatigue. Envy. The sense of sin. Persecution mania. Fear of public opinion -- Causes of happiness: Is happiness still possible? Zest. Affection. The family. Work. Impersonal interests. Effort and resignation. The happy man. |
| Credits | Sean/IB@DP, Karin Spence and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.) |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | BJ: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Ethics, Social usages, Etiquette, Religion |
| Subject | Happiness |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 77894 |
| Release Date | Feb 9, 2026 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 1182 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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