Presents the first history of positive psychology and happiness research and the ways these fields have influenced the lives of millions of people around the world~Traces a fascinating and distinctly American story of the shift in focus from mental illness to happiness~Links major world events such as the Holocaust, the presidency of Ronald Reagan, 9/11, and deindustrialization to popular cultural artifacts such as Oprah's television show, evangelical sermons, TED talks, and the rise of Facebook~Explores the surprising cultural impacts and overlaps of a variety of fields, such as Eastern spirituality, behavioral economics, psychology, and neuroscience