SOME LAST WORDS ON 2008

"Let's cut to the chase.
2008 was not a happy year."

It's not pretty, but Eric Weiner has a point:

"The U.S. economy sputtered, then went splat. The news from abroad wasn't much better. India suffered one if its worst ever terrorist attacks. China was hit by a devastating earthquake. Iceland, for years one of the world's happiest countries, experienced a financial meltdown. (More about that later.)"

Luckily, just before you embark on a three-day Xanax spiral, there's a reprieve:

So can we conclude that, given the grim headlines, we're all miserable now? Is the world really a less happy place? Not necessarily. Happiness bubbles are made of sterner stuff than real estate or stock bubbles. It takes a lot to shake a nation's happiness.

Phew! Click through to read the rest of Eric's full, frank appraisal of 2008. (You can also click here to read more about The Geography of Bliss, which is out in paperback this month).