''The Architecture of Happiness'' is Alain de Botton's exploration of the hidden links between buildings and our well being. Bestselling author Alain de Botton has written about love, travel, status and how philosophy can console us. Now he turns his attention to one of our most intense but often hidden love affairs: with our houses and their furnishings. He asks: What makes a house truly beautiful? Why are many new houses so ugly? Why do we argue so bitterly about sofas and pictures - and can differences of taste ever be satisfactorily resolved? Will minimalism make us happier than ornaments? To answer these questions and many more, de Botton looks at buildings across the world, from medieval wooden huts to modern skyscrapers; he examines sofas and cathedrals, tea sets and office complexes, and teases out a host of often surprising philosophical insights. ''The Architecture of Happiness'' will take you on a beguiling tour through the history and psychology of architecture and interior design, and will forever alter your relationship with buildings. It will change the way you look at your current home - and help you make the right decisions about your next one.''Engaging and intelligent ...full of splendid ideas, happily and beautifully expressed''. (''Independent''). Alain de Botton was born in 1969 and is the author of non-fiction essays on themes ranging from love and travel to architecture and philosophy. His bestselling books include ''Essays in Love''; ''The Romantic Movement''; ''Kiss and Tell''; ''Status Anxiety''; ''How Proust Can Change Your Life''; ''The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work''; ''The Art of Travel''; ''The Architecture of Happiness'' and ''Religion for Atheists''. He lives in London and founded The School of Life and Living Architecture.