In the first book to identify demographically proven happiness hotspots worldwide, researcher and explorer Dan Buettner documents the happiest people on earth and reveals how we can create our own happy zones. Detailing extraordinary new discoveries and meticulous research on four continents, Buettner observes happiness in unlikely places and gleans surprising insight into what generates contentment and what it means to thrive.

Intriguing studies debunk commonly believed myths. Think life was happier in the good old days? To the contrary, data shows that people flourish more in modern societies than in traditional, agrarian ones. Marriage, parenthood, gender equality, sociability – you'll be astonished at how (or whether) these factors figure in the happiness equation.