Preview
  • The Geography of Bliss

  • One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World
  • By: Eric Weiner
  • Narrated by: Eric Weiner
  • Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (1,082 ratings)

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The Geography of Bliss

By: Eric Weiner
Narrated by: Eric Weiner
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Publisher's summary

Part travel memoir, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide, The Geography of Bliss takes the listener across the globe to investigate not what happiness is, but WHERE it is. Are people in Switzerland happier because it is the most democratic country in the world? Do citizens of Qatar, awash in petrodollars, find joy in all that cash? Is the King of Bhutan a visionary for his initiative to calculate Gross National Happiness? Why is Asheville, North Carolina so damn happy?

In a unique mix of travel, psychology, science and humor, Eric Weiner answers those questions and many others, offering travelers of all moods some interesting new ideas for sunnier destinations and dispositions.

©2008 Eric Weiner (P)2008 Hachette Audio
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Critic reviews

"In the end, Weiner's travel tales - eating rotten shark meat in Iceland, smoking hashish in Rotterdam, trying to meditate at an Indian ashram - provide great happiness for his readers." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Geography of Bliss

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

as a fellow Grump I'm a fan of this book.

I've listened to this book multiple times and seem to get something new out of it each time. I really appreciate the author's performance of his own work. Highly recommended.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful listen, but...

Minor frustration: chapters in audiobook don't match chapters being read
Otherwise, I loved listening to this snapshot of how many other cultures define and pursue happiness. Both gave insight to other countries views and my own countries influence on my happiness

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Such a fun listen

I loved this listen. I’m so glad the author narrates his own book bc he sounds just as I pictured he would in my mind. This is a delightful listen, while also being interesting and absolutely full of cultural insights.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

What a great read. The Geography of Bliss is a really fun book covering several exciting travel destinations. Eric is a great narrator and provides some interesting and often amusing insights to different cultures around the world. Lots of ideas for future travel plans!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent and Insightful

I can't imagine anything you could read that would shed more insight on what constitutes happiness or the search for it. Author Weiner has done his global homework here. From New Delhi to North Carolina, Weiner searches to find commonalities about what makes us happy. What he finds could possibly make us all, well, happier.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Happiness is socially constructed

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which was written in NPR Story Corp fashion. The audio narration by the author created the sense that I was in each of the countries he visited.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Coool

Neat little story with some interesting perspectives. Character accents are annoying, but fun overall overall.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

amusing geography

and amusing but insightful introduction to countries that I had little knowledge of. Weiner is able to grasp the significance in the insignificant aspects of life.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Write Don't Read

The story would have held my interest more if the reader had been better. His voice was whiny and boring. Too many times I turned it off because I could not stand another moment of his voice. Tell Eric to stick to writing and let someone else do the reading!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Nothing preachy in this book. Awesome!

The author isn't trying to convince you of anything. Just reporting the facts. Well done

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1 person found this helpful