For as long as humankind has existed, we’ve pondered the meaning, purpose, and ultimate worth of our lives, and how to actually live this unique life of ours. In these pages, scholar and philosopher Frank Martela provides a unique perspective – in a series of soulful and thought-provoking essays – that explores what brings significance to our existence as well as why we are dissatisfied with the present and have a continual yearning for something beyond where we are right now.

This beautifully designed book approaches its subject in a readily digestible form. It grapples with some of life’s most pressing questions, such as:

• “Is happiness a worthy goal?”
• “What is the foundation for meaning in a secular society?”
• “Is life an existential void?”

Martela answers these questions and more in a relaxed, conversational tone and with a wry sense of humor, placing some of life’s greatest philosophical concerns and quandaries into a modern-day context.

Martela quickly and concisely gets to the heart of the matter: your place in the world and how to find meaning in life as countless thinkers and philosophers have done before, yet the emphasis here is on what we do with the life we have and how we can make it more meaningful. Part prescriptive and part armchair philosophy book, A Wonderful Life is accessible to everyone, from the well-read scholar to the apprentice as well as anyone curious about how to extract the greatest meaning and sense of purpose from their existence.

The book has sparked international interest with its translation rights being sold to eighteen different languages including, among others, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese Mandarin, Russian, Turkish and Finnish.

Praise for the book:

“The search for life’s meaning is perhaps the most important quest we can undertake. And for any quest, it’s essential to have a guide. Philosophically probing yet eminently readable, A Wonderful Life is a book you can refer to again and again on your journey toward purpose.”
—Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, To Sell Is Human, and A Whole Mind

“We are happiest not when we have more things or accolades but when we have more meaning, research shows. A Wonderful Life is a witty and inspirational guidebook to helping you live a life of meaning. By expertly drawing on psychology, philosophy and literature, his book will entertain you as much as it enriches you.”
—Emma Seppälä, Author of The Happiness Track, Science Director, Stanford Center For Compassion And Altruism Research And Education. Co-Director Wellness, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

“This book is not only a delight to read, but it is a tour-de-force of research. Martela brings together some of the most fascinating ideas from history, philosophy, and psychology to address the most urgent question of all: What makes life meaningful? Too many people today doubt that their lives matter. In this uplifting and thoughtful work, Martela offers practical tips for we can each find more meaning in our lives.”
—Emily Esfahani Smith, Author of The Power of Meaning: Finding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed with Happiness

Buy the book:

“This is an especially moving book to read in the midst of a global pandemic”, reviewer Tramp Swandive notes on Amazon, “Martela puts humans’ age-old search for a meaningful existence into context today, and provides insight on what to do, right now, to re-focus our attention on the things that matter—community, family, and compassion.”

Start your journey towards more meaningful existence today: