A Wonderful Life: Insights on Finding a Meaningful Existence

Is happiness a worthy goal? What is the foundation for meaning in a secular society? Is life an existential void?

Frank Martela answers these questions and more in a relaxed, conversational tone and with a wry sense of humor, placing some of life’s greatest philosophical concerns and quandaries into a modern-day context. Martela quickly and concisely gets to the heart of the matter – your place in the world and how to find meaning in life – yet the emphasis here is on what we do with the life we have and how we can make it more meaningful.

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.

Praise:

“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

“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

”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 Seppala, 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

”It is a book that doesn’t fill us with illusions but offers us an intelligent and concrete contribution for making our lives more meaningful. Finally, a book that helps us understand how to live better and how to achieve that sense of fullness and realization that makes every single day a new exciting adventure.”

– Davide Platzer Ferrero, Edizioni Lindau, Italy

”Four sources of meaning. Easy and understandable. The quickest path to a meaningful life is through A WONDERFUL LIFE.”

–  Meldra Abolina, Foreign Rights Project Manager, Zvaigzne, Latvia

”Frank Martela’s book A WONDERFUL LIFE is a real gem. Odiseja is proud to be the publisher for the Serbian language edition. The book is just profound enough to make each of us reconsider the meaning of our own lives, what really matters  and what makes us happy. We expect the book to inspire readers to think about what is important in their lives at a time of general identity and existential crisis that has gripped the world. The book is written in such a way that everyone can understand it and find answers to the questions imposed on everyone – why we always long for something else beyond this moment and why we are so often dissatisfied with our place and position in life.”
– Vesna Kapuran, Odiseja Publishing House, Serbia

”Live your life not as a project, but as a story. Frank Martela showed us how to seek meaning of life, we believe our readers will live life as a story with his outstanding book.”
-Dale Hung, Rights Manager at Ping’s Publications, Ltd.

What is the meaning in life? That is e a universal question that everyone has considered once at least. Obviously, Japan is no exception. And this title digs into the theme deeply and is very readable. We are really happy to bring this title to the Japanese readers.
– Risa Matsushita, Editor, HarperCollins Japan

“Harper Design is pleased to be publishing this very special book.  Its offer of hope and how to achieve a life that is truly worth living is the right message for the right time. “
– Marta Schooler, Publisher, Harper Design

”What is the meaning of life? Of course it is audacious for a young philosopher to shed light on such a big and complicated philosophical question. But Frank Martela is brave enough to do just that in his new book. I’m proud to be his Dutch publisher.”
– Laurens Ubbink, Publisher non-fiction, Ambo Anthos

“Despite the short proposal, it was good enough to persuade me to take. The stories that are well mixed with various categories such as literature, philosophy, and human science would easily appeal to our readers. I would call it, one of greatest hybrid contents!”
– Mr. Hyeongbo Kim, CEO of Across

”Read this book. Slowly. Take your time. Let it unwind and resonate within you. That’s how the meaning of your life will show itself to you. It’s a really well-written read.”
– Dea Oidekivi, Publisher, Rahva Raamat AS, Estonia

Frank Martela has been a wonderful, insightful and humorous contributor to fulfillmentdaily.com with a unique perspective on the science of happiness. I have no doubt that his book will be fascinating and entertaining.
– Emma Seppälä, PhD, Science Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, author of The Happiness Track (HarperOne, 2016)

I really liked Frank Martela’s book. It was profound, but not too much. It made me think and question my own life. It made me think about what I want to do from now on – what things are really relevant to me and at what moments I experience feelings of relevance. It made me miss my loved ones.
– Lily.fi Destination Happyness blog

The book is definitely worth reading, and its message is very important right now. It intoduces good questions, and provides the tools to make your own life as meaningful as possible every single day.

– Terve.fi Inspirations blog

The book is a great introspection into finding what truly matters to you. I started reading it just before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and am now writing this after a month of the world in a tumble dryer. In these extraordinary times, I find it comforting to be able to understand myself – and all of humanity – and what actually matters. Hence, in these times, the title of this book could be ”Science-backed multidisciplinary guide to being successful (according to metrics set by YOU)”.

I hope all leaders in these times of economical crisis would read this book and find guidance to policy-making from within themselves, using the book as a tool for reflection.
– Amazon.com five-star review by Joonas Kiminki

The book can best be summed up in this quote by Alan W. Watts and the suggestion of Martela in the end of the book:

“We thought of life by an analogy—as a journey or a pilgrimage—which has a serious purpose at the end. The thing was to get to that end, success, or whatever it is, or maybe Heaven after you are dead, but we missed the point along the whole way. It was a musical thing, and you were supposed to sing or dance while the music was being played.”

One day the music will stop. What happens afterward no one knows. But there’s no point in waiting for the silence. If you’re reading this, then the music is still playing for you. So go out and dance.

– Goodreads.com review by Mervi Rauhala

Frank Martela on Salon.com: Exercise, eat well, help others: Altruism’s surprisingly strong health impact

Frank Martela on Scientific American Mind: Finland Is the Happiest Country in the World, and Finns Aren’t Happy about It

Frank Martela was interviewed by Psychology Today: What Sisu Can Teach Us About Well-Being

Frank Martela cited on BBC: Why the Finns don’t want to be happy

Frank Martela cited on Quarz: Finland’s rank as the world’s happiest country is very upsetting in Finland