In his trailblazing Harvard courses, his internationally best-selling books, as well as his lectures and videos, positive psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar has shared his wisdom on finding fulfillment with people around the world. But even a happiness expert needs a sympathetic ear now and then. Tal found his - not in a fellow psychologist or guru but in his longtime neighborhood barber, Avi, who (along with cutting hair) dispenses wisdom beyond his years: Moving fast is important, but so is knowing when to wait. The more you provide for your children, the less they gain for themselves. If only people brought the same levels of commitment to their relationships as they do to their work. The best way to gain trust is to give trust.

Short Cuts to Happiness distills two years of Tal and Avi's revelatory barbershop talk into 40 brief chapters to dip in and out of, or to enjoy straight through. Each one reminds us how easy it is to find common ground on the things that matter most - and how good it is to talk with a tried-and-true friend.