38 pages • 1 hour read
Eric WeinerThe Geography of Bliss
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2008A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Eric Weiner
Weiner is a former journalist who has worked as a business reporter for The New York Times, an award-winning foreign correspondent for NPR, and an essayist for a number of publications. Since leaving that field, Weiner became a travel writer whose work traces a variety of concepts by retracing their geography. For The Socrates Express, Weiner traveled to the places where some of history’s greatest ancient and modern philosophers lived, exploring their ideas through their environments. For The Geography of Genius, Weiner visited the places that experienced a bloom of ideas and novel thinking. These works led Weiner to his project for The Geography of Bliss: Describing his journeys to countries where he believes he may find happiness.
Ruut Veenhofen
Ruut Veenhofen is a Dutch researcher who runs the World Database on Happiness. Residing in Rotterdam, Veenhofen is in his early sixties.
Andreas Gross
Andreas Gross is a Swiss parliamentarian. Gross shows Weiner a medieval town, and describes his political activities over recent decades.
Karma Ura
In Bhutan, Ura runs a think tank. Here, he argues for countries to measure happiness rather than money. Not having set large goals, Ura says that he is happy due to his compassion.
Barba Tulku
Tulku is a Bhutanese healer. Weiner visits Tulku as the latter heals various local residents. Tulku shows Weiner how most Bhutanese people are happy, unlike Americans.
Abdulaziz
Abdulaziz is a Qatari. Unlike most Qataris, Abdulaziz has different cultural preferences, and he wants to leave the country. Abdulaziz says that the recent oil money in Qatar has made people less happy, not more.
Larus Johannesson
Johannesson is an Icelandic music store and record label owner. After numerous other careers, he promotes art in Reykjavik at the time that Weiner meets him. Johannesson argues that lack of envy makes Icelanders happy.
Luba
Luba is an older Moldovan woman at whose apartment Weiner stays. Luba came from Russia; after the collapse of the Soviet Union, her husband died. Luba rents out her apartment to visitors, and depends on a small pension. Unlike many other Moldovans, Luba does not complain about money.
Richard Stevens
Stevens is an English happiness expert who appears on a television show. In the show, he helps residents of the town of Slough to increase their happiness. In person, he seems to be less positive than on television.
Suresh
Suresh is an artist in India. Many people visit while Weiner stays with Suresh. The group argue over modern India and happiness, and some go to cafes together.
Cynthia Agros
Agros is an American who moved from Miami to Asheville. Many Americans choose where to reside, unlike people in other countries.
