I’d dipped into a couple of chapters of much-loved British comedian Bill Bailey’s Remarkable Guide to Happiness when I get it as a present a year or so ago, but finally sat down to read it from start to finish whilst in between books a little while ago.
Bailey, who is best known for his appearance in cult comedy Black Books and for his multi-faceted stand-up shows, has long been a favourite comedian of mine. I was lucky enough to catch one of his live shows when he was on tour in Melbourne about five years ago.
Stuck at home and being unable to perform or go on tour, Bailey sat down to write a book of experiences and musings on the things that make him happy, and which he believes could make other people happy too.
“This book was written during the coronavirus pandemic, largely while we were in lockdown,” Bailey writes in the forward.
“During this unexpected quiet time at home, I finally got around to archiving my comedy shows and I was struck, firstly by how much longer my hair was back in the day, and secondly, by how much happiness has been a subject that I have explored in my sketches and gigs over many years, to the point that it appears as a constant thread running through it all.
He finishes off the forward by saying that this is book is not about telling people how to live their lives, but rather about sharing a “few accounts of fortuitous moments and remarkable times when I experienced something which felt to me like happiness”.
(I’ve since discovered his written a number of “remarkable” books (the word meaning: worthy of attention) about a range of subjects: including about British birds and the orchestra.)
Bailey’s famous self-deprecating humour and dry wit is a constant presence throughout the book, which consists of short, easy to digest chapters on a whole range of different activities he has undertaken over the years that have brought a sense of joy to his life.
These include a lot of things that anyone can do with just a little bit of money (playing a round of mini-golf, doing the “little things” like the ritual of brewing coffee), none at all (going for a walk in the woods, jogging, clearing out your wardrobe) or where you clearly need to have quite a bit of spare dosh (such as going swimming amid the glaciers of Iceland).
He combines many chapters with academic research he has found that reinforces the reason why an activity he has described might generate happiness from a scientific standpoint. And of course, there is plenty of good lashings of Bailey’s trademark acerbic humour and stories of his own adventures and failings.
On the sense of happiness created by tending for plants Bailey writes that “just being around greenery can lift our spirits…it is no surprise to me that studies show plants, and the care of plants that involves getting your hands into the soil can lower blood pressure and increase focus and alertness”.
To back up this claim, he adds: “An article published in Science World reveals that a mycobacterium found in plant soil can improve brain function, because it increases the production of serotonin in the brain, one of the ‘happy’ chemicals”.
Writing about the pleasure associated with showing “restraint” (even when there isn’t a ‘no’ option) Bailey describes a hilarious story about ordering food at the Los Angeles Zoo with his family.
The “modest purchase” of a sandwich, coffee and bottle of water entitled them to a free super-size upgrade: an enormous packet of crisps “the likes of which is not available to us in the UK”.
When he declined the chips, Corey, the young man serving them, was unable to compute this rejection telling the Bailey clan: “They’re free sir”.
Bailey replies: “Yes, I am aware of that, and it’s a kind offer, but we’re fine thank you.”
This back and forth continued between the bemused “but they’re free” Corey and Bailey until an old timer behind them in the queue grunted “Just take ’em!”
“So I took village-sized bag of crisps and gave them to an incredulous couple from Idaho.”
But in the age of “conspicuous consumption”, of that insidious phrase FOMO, Bailey concludes that saying no occasionally is not that hard, and is a “small act of self-care that might take you down a path to happiness”.
It’s these nuggets of wisdom and moments of clarity that can be found throughout the book, which is also endearingly illustrated with Bailey’s metaphorical pencil sketches and canny artworks by Joe Magee.
There are 36 chapters in the book. Each devoted to something that might make you a little happier, and most are not hard to try.
I’d add a 37th one, that Bailey is too modest to ever admit: the happiness evoked by watching one of his own comedy shows, an episode from Black Books, or the numerous clips you can find on YouTube.
Freshlyworded 