Creating The World We Want To Live In - Hope, Evidence & Action

In this review of Creating The World We Want To Live In the bottom line is clear: this book is for readers who want a thoughtful, evidence-informed call to action about wellbeing across the lifespan. Written by experienced practitioners and researchers, it aims to provoke conversation and gently challenge long-held beliefs, making it valuable for educators, policy makers and engaged citizens. The book's biggest reason to buy is its synthesis of scientific principles with practical examples that link individual flourishing to community and planetary wellbeing, presented in a readable, reflective style.

Key Features

• Evidence-based authorship: Chapters are written by eminent researchers and experienced practitioners, providing credible grounding for the book's ideas.
• Life-course coverage: The text explores stages from childhood to ageing, helping readers see wellbeing across the full span of life.
• Practical examples: Real-world examples illustrate how principles of living well can be applied in communities, not only individually.
• Wide-ranging scope: Topics include health, relationships, economics, politics and the environment, connecting personal flourishing to larger systems.
• Conversational tone: The book is written to provoke discussion and gently challenge beliefs, making it suitable for group reading and reflection.

Who It's For

The book suits readers interested in psychology, applied wellbeing and social change: educators, community leaders, policy makers and health professionals who want a broad, research-informed perspective on flourishing. It also works well as a stimulus for discussion in reading groups or professional development sessions because of its reflective, conversational approach.

Those seeking a technical manual or narrowly focused self-help workbook may find the book less targeted; it emphasizes principles and examples rather than step-by-step programs or clinical protocols. Readers wanting deep empirical tables or exhaustive data may need to supplement this with primary research sources.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Combines scholarly credibility with practical examples, making theory accessible to practitioners.
• Covers the full life-course, so it addresses wellbeing for childhood through ageing in one volume.
• Connects individual health and relationships to wider issues like economics and environment, offering a systemic view.

Cons

• The book is thematic and reflective rather than a prescriptive how-to guide for immediate behaviour change.

Specifications

Title	Creating The World We Want To Live In
Authors / Brand	Bridget Grenville-Cleave, Dora Gumundsdottir, Felicia Huppert, Vanessa King, David Roffey, Sue Roffey, Marten de Vries
Scope	Life-course wellbeing, community and planetary issues
Content focus	Health, relationships, economics, politics, environment
Approach	Research-informed principles with practical examples
Tone	Conversational and reflective, aimed at provoking discussion

Our Verdict

Creating The World We Want To Live In is a thoughtful, evidence-informed collection that links personal flourishing to social and environmental concerns, ideal for professionals and engaged readers who value principled reflection over quick fixes. It offers excellent value as a discussion starter and a broad synthesis of wellbeing ideas that can inform practice and policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book research-based?
Yes, chapters are written by researchers and experienced practitioners and draw on scientific evidence to support the principles discussed.

Does it provide practical steps to change behaviour?
The book offers practical examples and illustrations but focuses on principles and conversation rather than prescriptive step-by-step programs.

Who will get the most from this book?
Educators, community leaders, policy makers and readers interested in applied wellbeing and systemic approaches will benefit most from its content.