Books by Frank Martela
What are we supposed to do with this thing called life we’ve been thrown into?
Frank Martela, PhD, is a philosopher and researcher of psychology specialized in the question of meaning in life. His is a quest to understand what to do, value, and aim for in this unfolding experience called human life.
Frank Martela
Stop Chasing Happiness
A pessimist's guide to a good life
20 March 2025
Published by Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 9781805463733
The secret to happiness? Stop trying to find it – it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
Finding happiness is less about learning new tricks and more about unlearning ways of thinking holding you back: Stop chasing happiness, stop obsessing over what others think, stop caring too much about how you feel, stop making sacrifices for personal success.
Here, academic and philosopher Frank Martela unpacks why we value happiness, and why chasing it is actually making you miserable. He reveals the secrets to Finland’s continued top rankings in the global happiness reports by showing that, actually, living with purpose and contentment is much more beneficial that striving to be happy.
Building on Frank’s personal encounters with people from all walks of life during travels around Finland and abroad, this book blends personal stories and quirky anecdotes with the latest scientific research and ancient traditions to deliver a strong message about how you should approach life: what you should stop doing and what you should start doing instead, to find an enduring sense of contentment and an energizing sense of purpose for your own life.
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Frank Martela
A Wonderful Life
Insights on finding a meaningful existence
24 March 2020
Published by Harper (Illustrated edition)
ISBN: 0062942778
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.
“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
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What People Are Saying about A Wonderful Life
“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
“A brilliant and charming book that tackles the grandest questions of life in plain terms, with humor and insight…full of anecdotes, history, thoughtfulness, perspective, and entertaining discourse. If you have any curiosity about the meaning of life—and who doesn’t?—this book is a refreshing and important resource.”
– Roy F. Baumeister
Author of New York Times bestseller Willpower, The Power of Bad, and Meanings of Life