The Geography of Bliss

(Eric Weiner)

This is another of those sorts of books which are labelled “holiday” or “beach” reads but for once, it really might be worthwhile to read at 30,000 feet while jetting in to meet some joyful Icelanders (by far the best chapter in the book) or away from the moaning  Moldovans (who, TVC is surprised to note, don’t even seem to be cheered by their relative success at Eurovision). Is  Bhutan really the happiest country in the world?  Despite its telegenic crinkle-faced monks, its measure of Gross National Happiness and its being the site of Shangri-La (which was, interestingly enough, the former name of Camp David), I doubt it.  Now that almost every  Bhutanese has a mobile phone, 4G, is addicted to Facebook and communicates by Twitter,  it will  not be long before Moldovan misery descends upon them all.