The Science Of A Better Life, In Plain English

Every two weeks I take one big question, like how to be happier or how to bounce back when life gets hard, and explain what the research says and what to do about it.

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From Eric Barker, author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Barking Up the Wrong Tree. Covered by The New York Times, The Atlantic and the Financial Times.

Hi, I'm Eric

I write about the science of a better life: what the research actually says about work, happiness and relationships, explained in plain English.

I grew up in New Jersey, the son of a truck driver, and spent about ten years as a Hollywood screenwriter before a business school class got me hooked on the research about how people actually behave. I started this blog in 2009 to share what I was learning, and I've been checking the advice we all grew up with against the evidence ever since.

My first book, Barking Up the Wrong Tree, was a Wall Street Journal bestseller that has sold over half a million copies in 19 languages. I've spoken at MIT, Google and the Aspen Ideas Festival.

“Reading Plays Well With Others is like having a hard conversation about relationships with your smartest, funniest friend.”
David Epstein, author of Range

More about me

What you'll get

A deep dive every two weeks on one question that matters, like how to make emotionally intelligent friendships, how to be more resilient or what neuroscience says makes you happy.
The research and the experts, turned into things you can try this week.
A free PDF of the beginning of my bestseller Plays Well With Others, as soon as you confirm.