From the Deborah Soloman "Questions for" column in the New York Times, Sunday, 3 February 2008, interviewing the current poet laureate, Charles Simic:

Have you noticed all these new nonfiction books on "happiness"? It's an industry.

It's really frightening. People need to read a book on how to be happy? It's completely an American thing. Can you imagine people in Naples sitting on a bus or in a trattoria reading a book about happiness?

What advice would you give to people who are looking to be happy?

For starters, learn how to cook.