Hector and the Search for Happiness

I know some didn't like the writing and thought it was too childish. I thought the simplistic narration was interesting. I almost think the author intended to treat this a little like a children's book. I think this intent may be because the keys to happiness are really so simple that this manner of speaking just fits. It could also be that the author wanted people to remember the list and the best way to do that was to put it in the simplest of terms. Regardless, I got over the simplistic writing easily and found myself focusing on the message a lot more.Others also saw this as some sort of story of a man sleeping with women and gleaned some sort of chauvinistic agenda from it. I didn't see it that way. I saw it as a man trying to live in the moment and at the same time finding himself as he pursues that which makes people (himself included) happy. I think the most important part of this book are some of the items that he lists as things that make people happy. The list is simple and I think many can benefit from knowing it. I took note of several items that I like to repeat to myself from time to time when I see that I'm focusing on the wrong things.For me, this was an enjoyable read with a nice message.

This book started out extremely strong for me, I loved it right out of the gate. It did seem to bog down a little in the middle so I gave it four stars. Fun little book. Easy to read.

Aunque no es un texto complejo o pretensioso, logró alegrarme y entristeserme, llenándome de nostalgia casi en cada párrafo. Si, hay muchos lugares comune, pero su lenguaje simple e infantil casi lo hace a un regresar a la infancia, cuando no se sabía q eran los lugares comunes y se podía uno dar el lujo de aprender con menos prejuicios.

I’m not going to lie. I decided to read this book because of the movie. I have to say that the first quarter of the book is almost the same as the movie. Little by little, you start to see the differences in the narrative solutions. For me, the scene where Hector is in the store room that smelt of dead rat is better constructed in the movie. I love how the pen is used, for example. But, in the book, there is no pen and Hector got away almost as if nothing has happened. I didn’t like in the book that Hector made another stop in China. I really prefere the way they did in the movie. Again, it’s me. Aside from that, I like the story and the happiness list makes me think a lot about happiness. And I wonder if this is the real purpose of this story: reflect about happiness.

This is written like a fairy tale for grown ups. Hector is a young psychiatrist who is concerned that in spite of the advice and pills he administers, he can't seem to make his patients as happy as he wishes. He decides to take a trip around the world, taking in China, Africa and the USA, with the aim to understand what makes people happy or unhappy. If there's a secret, he's determined to find it.This book has a simple, whimsical format, as if it's a kids' story book, and even begins with 'Once upon a time.' The hero is written to come across as part shrewd intellectual and part innocent little boy. There are frequent asides in parentheses, such as (Hector was intelligent but not necessarily smart). Without mentioning specific philosophies, nationalities and religions, these are often plain through the context.Hector jots impressions in a notebook. He learns that you must be careful when you ask people directly whether or not they're happy, because it often makes men laugh and women cry. He meets several people, including a monk in a Chinese monastery, who wonders why so many westerners are interested in his religion when they have so many old and perfectly good religions of their own. Toward the end, Hector's findings are summed up by a well-known happiness specialist in 'the country with the most psychiatrists', who tells Hector that during his travels, he managed to discover several of the most popular indicators, and then attempts to them put them together in a formula.Although it's an easy-to-read companion to all the non-fiction happiness texts out there, I quickly grew tired of Hector's womanising tendency, and the way it's portrayed indulgently as his funny little weakness. He cheats on his long-time partner, Clara, repeatedly during his travels and doesn't stop to consider that his 'if it feels good, do it' habit may bring the opposite of happiness to others as well as himself. That's not the habit of a nice guy. It was written as if he's a little boy who wants to sample different sweets, while he's messing with people's lives. I think it was trying to be a bit too cute, and came off superficial.Surely those parable-cum-novels have to be really carefully crafted to work. This is just another one with main themes being poked in our faces every minute, and not always tastefully. In spite of what the blurb says, I didn't think it was much like 'The Little Prince' or 'The Alchemist' at all.

My title just about sums it up. I have a feeling that the author was going for some kind of Paulo Coehlo type of tale here -simple parable to share Deep Truths, but it just didn't do it for me. I found Hector as a character ridiculously annoying. At some points he seems really stupid. And yet we're supposed to believe that he is an intelligent psychiatrist. The writing-for-children style grated me, as it did other reviewers. It's a fast read, but left me with no lasting insights, or indeed much of anything memorable. We learn along with Hector that happiness is feeling useful. Happiness is caring about the happiness of those you love. And over a dozen other lessons. But at the end of it, I don't know how Hector grew. I didn't see any real growth in him, except to realize that he loved his girlfriend back at home. There wasn't any kind of great moment of insight for Hector, and things that I would think would have left him reeling for months (especially a certain kidnapping in Africa) seem to weigh on him about as heavily as the conversation he had with the guy in the Business Class section of the plane. Overall this was pretty bland, and I won't be reading the sequel. But it wasn't bad, and I don't regret the time I spent on it. It just left me feeling blah and uninspired.

If you read this book as a simple story, it can come across as trite, pedantic and even condescending. There's a sexual theme that can seem misplaced, especially in the #metoo era, but hey: psychiatrists are humans with needs and foibles in their time off, too, I suppose. But it's a light, snappy read that lifts the spirits, and can actually teach you a thing or two. However, if you read this as a self-help book written as a novel, its quality suddenly improves dramatically. As someone who has needed and read my share of self-help books, that simplistic triteness is actually confident wisdom; its well-worn-ness has rounded the edges to the point of being able to be grasped by anyone and everyone. I'll even posit your disagreement with my statement is commensurate with your cynicism, but yes: the story lacks edge. It is appropriate for those whose inner journeys are just beginning. The protagonist is relatable, the wisdom clearly stated and illustrated in ordinary language, and the information is logically organised; all in a story that will keep you awake, unlike other self-help books. What more could you ask for?

The writing style uses simplistic language but in an endearing way. It is like a narrator is telling you an interesting story but with a detatched tone that prevents you becoming emotionally involved with the protagonist. That's probably a good thing because, if you delve too deeply, you might begin to think that Hector is quite possibly a superficial jerk. Never the less, his search for happiness results in valuable reminders for all of us. And, given that the book is about the root of happiness itself, there is joy to be found in the process of 'witnessing' Hector's journey.

Hector and the Search for Happiness is a novel set in various countries around the world and at first, I found it interesting that Mr Lelord doesn’t call those countries by their names but rather prefers to describe what they are famous for. As I read on, I noticed that this was one of Lelord’s quirks that would become annoying the more I encountered them.Hector, our main character, is a psychiatrist but I really didn’t buy that. Sure, sometimes he thinks and says very smart things, but most of the time he acts and thinks like a child or maybe a pubescent. Or is this what men are really like?Plot-wise, Hector and the Search for Happiness is a bit repetitive. Hector visits various countries, but what he does there doesn’t differ much from what he did in the last country, with one tiny exception that helps to speed up the story. What I really can’t stand is the writing style. The novel is written like a children’s book. And maybe it is one. I don’t know. While this writing style was original at the beginning, it started to get so annoying I was considering quitting the book. Well, I sat through it ’til the end. If you think you can handle a novel targeted at adults with the writing style of a children’s book, buy it. I mean, it’s a bestseller after all. I don’t know why.

Ho visto prima il film, che mi ha piacevolmente sorpresa, e ho voluto leggere il libro dal quale era tratto.Forse l'aver già dato un volto ai personaggi e uno stile al racconto ha fatto sì che tutto fosse già svelato, ma si è confermato una piacevole lettura.

When I first started reading this book I thought I had accidentally brought a children's book. It is written in a naïve way. Once I became used to it though it was very pleasant reading. It is interesting how the adult themes have been communicated in this naïve style. The actual search for happiness is very well explored and really throws emphasis on different people's viewpoints. Not sure if this is a self help book or something to leave you thinking. Either way it was a good read and created some discussions over coffee.