The author draws upon ancient teachings and biographic sketches of historical figures to make his case that the path toward lasting happiness can only come from a place we find inside ourselves. Each of the short chapters has a mesage that can be boiled down to a simple lesson which he backs up with an illustration from the life of some individual and supplements with the experience of philosophers, religious figures, artists and other celebrities, leaders of state, and business heads. Sometimes they are portrayed as rising to the occasion during some test, and sometimes at their worst moments, and occasionally the same individual turns up at both extremes, showing how elusive following the path to clarity can be. The tone is direct, not scholarly, emphatic without coming across as dogmatic. There are so many false ideals that can lead a person away from the most lasting rewards that a person can live an entire life without ever once knowing just what it is that they have been lacking.

I listened to the audiobook, which might not be the best way to read the book because the author is not a professional audiobook reader and it sometimes shows. There were times where I agreed with the points he was making, at the same time some flaw in the delivery would make me wince. If I pick up his other books I think I might skip the audiobook format.