Product Description
Is there a secret to happiness? Beloved comedian Paula Poundstone conducts a series of "thoroughly scientific" experiments to find out, offering herself up as a guinea pig and recording her data for the benefit of all humankind. Armed with her unique brand of self-deprecating wit and the scientific method, in each chapter Paula tries out a different get-happy hypothesis. She gets in shape with taekwondo. She drives fast behind the wheel of a Lamborghini. She communes with nature while camping with her daughter. Swing dancing? Meditation? Volunteering? Does any of it bring her happiness? And more important, can the happiness last when she returns to the daily demands of her chaotic life?
The results are irreverent, laugh-out-loud funny, and pointedly relevant to our times. The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness is both a hilarious story of jumping into new experiences with both feet and a surprisingly poignant tale of a working mother raising three kids. Paula is a master of her craft. Her comedic brilliance, served up in abundance in this book, has been compared to that of George Carlin, Tina Fey, Lily Tomlin, and David Sedaris.
The results are irreverent, laugh-out-loud funny, and pointedly relevant to our times. The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness is both a hilarious story of jumping into new experiences with both feet and a surprisingly poignant tale of a working mother raising three kids. Paula is a master of her craft. Her comedic brilliance, served up in abundance in this book, has been compared to that of George Carlin, Tina Fey, Lily Tomlin, and David Sedaris.
Reviews/Praise
"Along with scientific-sounding evaluations and analyses comes the wisdom, laced with her canny observations and sparkling wit, and delivered in her trademark deadpan tone." —AudioFile (Earphones Award Winner)
"Poundstone . . . the accomplished funnywoman draws quite effectively on her natural ease in front of a microphone, bringing the droll quality of her stand-up comedy to the audio medium." —Publishers Weekly Starred Audio
"This audio is perfect for anyone who’s slightly jaded by overexposure to hygge and Kondo-ing but hasn’t given up on the pursuit of happiness quite yet." —Booklist Audio Review
"As Poundstone's stories evolve, a sharp, edgy blend of pointed observation, social insight, and witty autobiography create an involving listen." —Donovan's Literary Services
“[A] pure romp. . . . A deeply revealing memoir in which the pathos doesn't kill the humor—delivers more than it promises.” —Kirkus
"Smart, sweet, and laugh-out-loud funny balm for exceedingly stressful times." —Booklist
"Bringing the same dry wit and casual observation style of her stand-up to the page is impressive in and of itself, but to do so with such honesty and heart, particularly when sharing the dizzying peaks and emotional valleys that come with parenting, is doubly impressive." —San Francisco Book Review
“For readers who want a break from the current madness in the world and a good dose of Poudstone humor, this book will certainly provide.” —NY Journal of Books
"The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness is a remarkable journey. I laughed. I cried. I got another cat." —Lily Tomlin
"The bravest and best improv comic of our time has now done the impossible and created a Work of Literature that has the wild, hairy spirit of performance about it. . . . There is not a bad seat in the house." —Garrison Keillor
"Paula Poundstone deserves to be happy. Nobody deserves to be this funny." —Roy Blount Jr.
"I've discovered that the secret to happiness is to let Paula do all these things while I read her hilarious book about it." —P. J. O'Rourke
"Paula Poundstone never disappoints. . . . An informative and highly entertaining book that deserves to be read and discussed . . . and I highly recommend that it is." —Carl Reiner
