I would actually rate this 3.5, but still I did enjoy it. Some of the author's generalizing, which he does admit to in the afterward, did leave me wanting a less slanted approach to the topic. I found myself wondering what it would have been like if Rebecca Solnit 
 Embarked on the same project, for example.But while It did feel moderately flip at times, I did appreciate someone who identifies as a grump talking about happiness. Often, it feels like people who write or speak on happiness are oppressively happy or difficult to relate to. Eric Weiner is, along with Gretchen Rubin, a notable exception. Their willingness to reveal their own flaws makes me more invested in reading their work. I think I am less jaded than Weiner, but I did relate to the times he did feel happy and the circumstances that got him there. I'm glad I read it, and look forward to noticing more details about what makes people happy or unhappy in Los Angeles- or wherever else I end up- as a result.