This book might just surprise you. In fact, you won’t have to get very far before you stumble across the actual, honest-to-goodness Secret to Inner Peace.

The real question is—can you handle it? Because it’s dangerously simple. So simple, in fact, that many people reject it outright in favour of the more socially acceptable method of making their lives a tangled, stress-ridden circus of chaos and car payments.

Want to live forever? Or at least outlive your in-laws?
Start by laughing. According to Norman Cousins—journalist, optimist, and honorary chuckle champion—“Laughter is inner jogging,” and “The greatest force in the human body is the natural drive to heal itself”—especially when paired with a belief system that doesn’t involve yelling at traffic.

So grab this book, flex those facial muscles, and prepare to laugh your way to better health. Warning: side effects may include joy, optimism, and an increased tolerance for relatives.

Compiled by Ian M. Harvey with contributions from:
Michael Finder, Ranine Beaumont Harvey, Keith Jones, Charlotte Helsham, Deb Bell and a bunch of other well-meaning but clearly also mis-guided people.