"With Candide, Voltaire bumptiously skewered the fashionable misinterpretation of the doctrine of philosophical optimism, unerringly offending kings, scientists, fanaticals, publishers, journalists, and even priests; composed in a mere three days, Candide's capacity to amuse, disgust, and surprise endures today, roughly ninety thousand days later. Theo Cuffe's new translation is invaluable for those English-speaking readers who cannot understand French,...

"Wise and funny . . . [A] near-perfect collection." -Entertainment Weekly Rebecca Lee, one of our most gifted and original short story writers, guides readers into a range of landscapes, both foreign and domestic, crafting stories as rich as novels. A student plagiarizes a paper and holds fast to her alibi until she finds herself complicit in the resurrection of one professor's shadowy past. A dinner party becomes the occasion for the dissolution...

If you can dream it, you can do it. Contrary to popular belief, the dreamers are also the doers. Readers will find a wealth of examples of the very real and transformative power of optimism and the amazing places and giddy heights it can take you to. They

People with optimism expect the best and accentuate the positive. This character strength can be seen in Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I have a dream" speech, in which he expressed his hope for future generations. This volume explores how optimism keep

New York Times bestselling author Martin E. P. Seligman's The Optimistic Child is "the first major work to provide an effective program for preventing depression in childhood — and probably later in life" (Aaron T. Beck, author of Love is Never Enough).
The epidemic of depression in America strikes 30% of all children. Now Martin E. P. Seligman, the bestselling author of Learned Optimism, and his colleagues offer parents...

Explores the downsides of the positive thinking mentality that is found in the business community, megachurches, and even in the medical profession, maintaining that this type of thinking only leads to frustration, guilt, and denial.

Most people would say there is nothing good about trudging to school on a rainy day. Most people would say that being carried away by the wind and dropped into the middle of a tumultuous sea is a very bad sort of situation. No, most people wouldn't like that at all. But, Sunny isn't most people. Sunny likes to look on the bright side. And when things get exceedingly bleak? Well, isn't that what friends are for?--

"Drawing on advice and knowledge she gleaned from conversations with loved ones, spiritual practices, and life experiences, Robin offers a window into how she feeds her own mind, spirit, and soul and invites readers to do the same. With a deeply personal touch, she explains that just like any skill, optimism requires practice and demonstrates how we can shift our mindsets and give ourselves permission to let our best intentions take root and be true"-- Good...

"From Life is Good founders and brothers Bert and John Jacobs, this inspiring book of wisdom outlines the ten key "superpowers" readers need to live their best lives. Based on the brothers' personal and professional journey, this whimsically illustrated guide captures the unique voice and profound optimism that is the foundation of their beloved T-shirt and apparel company, now worth more than $100 million. Life Is Good: The Owner's Manual will inspire...