There is such a glut of self-help books in the market, especially on happiness, that it makes one unhappy to just sift through the clutter.
But, once in a while, serendipity strikes and you end up with a book that sticks to its premise, has a clear, logical and practical path laid out and (thank heavens) is not preachy.
Author Ramesh Venkateswaran’s vast experience in the corporate and teaching worlds shows up in ‘The Happiness Trail’ primarily in his ability to break down a complex subject like happiness into chewable nuggets.
The book is divided into three parts. While the first section deals with how, unlike what most would imagine, happiness and success can go hand in hand, the focus of the second section is the intrinsic and inevitable links that happiness has with the people we interact with, our integrity and moral compass and the passions that move us.
The author comes into his own in the second section with what he terms his ‘road map’, which he says if followed, will lead to happiness and consequently, success — “not the other way round.”
The short but crucial final section is all about what most of us fail to do, even after getting all charged up after reading an inspiring book or two — translate our intent into action.
There’s a fun and very doable ‘litmus test’ for the reader and a pragmatic ‘road map’ which, if one has the energy, can be used to self-assess and keep track.
While the tone is breezy and the language jargon-free, the summary at the end of the chapters tend to get repetitive. But that’s a minor quibble in what is otherwise a perk-me-up read.