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The Meaning of Your Life

Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness

Author Arthur C. Brooks
Large Print
$32.00 US
Diversified | Random House Large Print
On sale Mar 31, 2026 | 436 Pages | 9798217294565
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Strength to Strength, an account of how the modern world sets us up to fail at finding meaning--and a plan for finding what you seek.

Meaning in life is getting harder to find--and there’s a reason for that. In The Meaning of Your Life, social scientist and happiness expert Arthur Brooks explains how rapid societal and technological changes have rewired our brains, making them ill-equipped to handle questions of existential reckoning. The resulting emptiness is not imaginary, and it is life-destroying for some, especially for young people. 

Fortunately, there's hope. With compassion, clarity, and practicality, Brooks tells you exactly what you need to do to move toward meaning. You'll take a test to determine where you are on your meaning journey, learn evidence-based tactics for rewiring your brain for complex and abstract concepts, and discover a vocabulary for your desires. Most importantly, Brooks will show you where to search for the transcendence, vocation, and significance that are your birthright as a human being.

“What is the meaning of my life?” is not an unanswerable question, but the road to an answer—or answers—is a long one. The Meaning of Your Life is your guide for the journey.
© Daniel Bayer for the Aspen Institute
Arthur C. Brooks is an American social scientist, the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. Prior, he was the president of the American Enterprise Institute for ten years, where he held the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Free Enterprise. He has authored eleven books, including the bestsellers Love Your Enemies and The Conservative Heart, and writes the popular How to Build a Life column at The Atlantic. He is also the host of the podcasts How to Build a Happy Life and The Art of Happiness with Arthur Brooks. View titles by Arthur C. Brooks

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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Strength to Strength, an account of how the modern world sets us up to fail at finding meaning--and a plan for finding what you seek.

Meaning in life is getting harder to find--and there’s a reason for that. In The Meaning of Your Life, social scientist and happiness expert Arthur Brooks explains how rapid societal and technological changes have rewired our brains, making them ill-equipped to handle questions of existential reckoning. The resulting emptiness is not imaginary, and it is life-destroying for some, especially for young people. 

Fortunately, there's hope. With compassion, clarity, and practicality, Brooks tells you exactly what you need to do to move toward meaning. You'll take a test to determine where you are on your meaning journey, learn evidence-based tactics for rewiring your brain for complex and abstract concepts, and discover a vocabulary for your desires. Most importantly, Brooks will show you where to search for the transcendence, vocation, and significance that are your birthright as a human being.

“What is the meaning of my life?” is not an unanswerable question, but the road to an answer—or answers—is a long one. The Meaning of Your Life is your guide for the journey.

Author

© Daniel Bayer for the Aspen Institute
Arthur C. Brooks is an American social scientist, the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. Prior, he was the president of the American Enterprise Institute for ten years, where he held the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Free Enterprise. He has authored eleven books, including the bestsellers Love Your Enemies and The Conservative Heart, and writes the popular How to Build a Life column at The Atlantic. He is also the host of the podcasts How to Build a Happy Life and The Art of Happiness with Arthur Brooks. View titles by Arthur C. Brooks

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