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One professor's journey of discovering what makes people happy through conversations with over 500 strangers across 30 states and 50 cities. Work. Money. Life. Purpose. What do these mean to you? What should they mean to you? We all want happiness; but do we know what exactly happiness is? Does work bring us happiness? Does money ? And, while you are pondering these questions, ask yourself one more question, Why do we live? Why do YOU live? Is there a purpose to life? Can purpose bring us happiness?

In the new book 50 Faces of Happy, Ban Mittal—a social scientist and professor—explores these questions by sharing the answers from 50 people he randomly met on the street. In 2017, the author set out on a two-year road journey across the USA and Canada to discover what happiness meant to people. Conducting over 500 interviews with people he met at random, Mittal asked them “Five Big Questions” about money, work, life, purpose, and happiness.

"I had wondered for a few years why in all of the happiness literature, no one had taken the consumers’ or a person’s own perspective on happiness,' shares Mittal. "So I thought it would be a good idea to find out what consumers thought happiness was and what brought them happiness...Now, if you combine these three factors: Talking to strangers, understanding the totality of the person and a layman’s definition of happiness, it was an adventure I just couldn’t resist."

This collection includes engineers, doctors, attorneys, executives, professors, students, factory workers, sommeliers, museum curators, home-free wanderers and visitors from overseas; and, of course, other "ordinary" people from all walks of life, spanning all demographics. The diversity in these people’s outlook on life is unmistakable. While all stories offer engaging personal glimpses of the featured people (ordinary or not so ordinary), some reveal stunning personal goals, surprising life perspectives, and deep, homespun wisdom. 

More info: 50facesofhappy.com | Facebook | Instagram | twitter.com

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Debbie Watts
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

May you continue to be blessed with what makes you happy. The world would be a much better place if everyone would find what makes them happy.

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Lateef Brown
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Agreed, this Brother is one in a million. Already a philanthropists, man of God, great husband and father, career banker 20+ years, carrying the torch for God and for his family. Seeing Tyrone evolve has been a testiment of what only God can do. Amen, Louise(Sis), ready to see those promises manifest!

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Awesome serendipity, I ran into this cool artist couple at the Whitney Museum.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A lovely couple with super-societally-conscious minds. Great knowing you.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This young couple had me mesmerized with their description of their trendy gigs.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Applying high-wire science in the service of a do-good life-long project.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This brilliant academic has figured out an economic formula for altruism.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Under the famous arch stood this noble heart. She has adopted 4 children to give them hope of life.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This entrepreneur was, in his expansive, innovative, world-serving ambition had me mesmerized.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What an honor to have met this passionate explorer of mind and nature alike.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This doctor-nurse couple recited a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow right there on the beach.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She caught my eye in the big park by her oversized flower, but her immigrant passion was heartening.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

His backstory behind the two published books of his own proved my hypothesis: talking to strangers could bring you unanticipated joy.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Her part-tortured, part-super-optimist mind is already set to choose a helping profession. It was a thrill to meet a young person determined to help others.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The quiet, self-assured, one-with-nature intellectual mind under that hat made my day.

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Ban Mittal
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Two young fashionistas at my favorite place, Fountain Square, Cincinnati.

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