'In the first Quarterly Essay for 2011, David Malouf returns to one of the most fundamental questions and gives it a modern twist: what makes for a happy life? With grace and profundity, Malouf discusses new and old ways to talk about contentment and the self. In considering the happy life - what it is, and what makes it possible - David Malouf returns to the "highest wisdom" of the classics, looks at how, thanks to Thomas Jefferson's way with words, happiness became a "right", and examines joy in the flesh as depicted by Rubens and Rembrandt.
'In a world become ever larger and impersonal, he finds happiness in an unlikely place. This is an essay to savour and reflect upon by one of Australia's greatest novelists.' (From the publisher's website.)
'In developed societies like our own, says David Malouf, “something called happiness is a condition we all aspire to.” This is surely an uncontroversial statement, yet the relationship between developed societies and “something called happiness” plays out in far from uncontroversial ways.' (Introduction)
'In developed societies like our own, says David Malouf, “something called happiness is a condition we all aspire to.” This is surely an uncontroversial statement, yet the relationship between developed societies and “something called happiness” plays out in far from uncontroversial ways.' (Introduction)
Host Jennifer Byrne joins regular panelists Marieke Hardy and Jason Steger, and guests Howard Jacobson and A. C. Grayling to discuss and review the classic book Women in Love and Australian essay, The Happy Life by David Malouf.