Publication Date July 8, 2025

I have mixed feelings about The Happiness Experiment by entrepreneur and philanthropist Carl Barney. After a near-death experience, he had the idea of gifting “Happiness Grants” (inheritances provided to the grantees while the grantor was still alive) to twenty friends.   

I loved the idea, and thought it might have been better as a memoir. Instead, it’s kind of a conversation between him and…who? Never did figure out if he was “talking” with his friend, lawyer, financial guru? As one reviewer noted, “It comes across like you’re watching a training video at work.” 

I also didn’t like that he dictated what he wanted for the recipients, rather than let them choose what would make them happy. They couldn’t use it to send children to college or pay off a mortgage…whether that was what they thought would make them happy or not. Seems kind of arrogant, IMHO. 

I would guess many readers will appreciate this way more than I did, and as I said, I love the idea, both of gifting money to others and of examining the topic of happiness in general. So three stars for effort and the idea. Thanks to Greenleaf Book Group and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for my honest review.