The Courage to Be Happy by Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga Review: Adlerian Psychology Meets Socratic Dialogue

The Courage to Be Happy is the second installment in Kishimi and Koga's "Courage to" series, returning to the same two figures from the first book: an unnamed philosopher and a young man. In this volume, three years have passed since their original conversations. The young man has since become an educator and has attempted to apply Alfred Adler's theories in a classroom setting — only to find them difficult to put into practice with unruly schoolchildren. Frustrated and disillusioned, he returns to confront his former teacher. Their ensuing dialogue, which stretches until dawn, revisits Adlerian psychology through the lens of education, self-reliance, and the capacity for individuals to choose happiness. The format deliberately mirrors the classical Greek philosophical tradition — specifically the Socratic method — and it was Fumitake Koga who, after making numerous visits to Ichiro Kishimi in Kyoto, developed this dialogue structure to make Adler's ideas accessible to a wide readership.

Alfred Adler, described in the book's framing as one of the giants of 19th-century psychology, has experienced a significant popular resurgence through this series. The predecessor, The Courage to Be Disliked, became a worldwide phenomenon — described as a "TikTok sensation" and an international bestseller — and The Courage to Be Happy arrives as a major international bestseller in its own right. The series represents a sustained effort to introduce Adlerian thought to readers who may never encounter it through academic psychology, offering instead an immersive, story-driven entry point. As the Simon & Schuster publisher notes, "more than a century since Adler founded his school of psychology, there's still insight and novelty in his theories" — and this sequel leans into that novelty by staging Adler's ideas against the concrete friction of real-world failure.

Publisher's Weekly described the book as "instructive and enjoyable," noting that it extends Kishimi and Koga's interpretation of Adlerian psychology "from the philosopher's study into the real world." The Socratic structure is central to that achievement: by having the young man repeatedly protest that Adler's ideas are "divorced from reality," the book dramatizes the very tension readers are most likely to feel. The philosopher's task — and, by design, the book's task — is to guide the young man toward Adler's concept of "self-reliance" as the true goal of education, leading him to draw his own conclusions rather than simply receive doctrine. This format makes the ideological content feel earned rather than asserted, and it gives the audiobook adaptation — narrated by Graeme Malcolm, Noah Galvin, and January LaVoy across its six hours and eleven minutes — a natural dramatic shape suited to multiple voices.

Readers approaching The Courage to Be Happy without having engaged with The Courage to Be Disliked will find themselves at a disadvantage. The sequel builds directly on the philosophical groundwork laid in the first volume, and its central conflict — the young man's disillusionment after attempting to apply what he previously learned — only carries weight for those already invested in that earlier conversation. The Socratic format, while praised for its accessibility, is also a structural constraint: ideas are introduced through debate and provocation rather than systematic exposition, which suits some readers and frustrates others who prefer a more direct self-help framework. The book's philosophical ambitions and its practical usefulness as a day-to-day guide are in creative tension throughout.

The Courage to Be Happy is aimed at readers already drawn to the intersection of philosophy and psychology — particularly those who responded to the first book's premise that happiness is not something that happens to a person but something chosen. Its focus on education and self-reliance gives it particular resonance for teachers, parents, and anyone grappling with the gap between philosophical ideals and the messiness of human relationships. Fans of accessible, dialogue-driven philosophy — in the tradition of texts like Sophie's World — will find the format congenial. Those seeking a more conventional positive-psychology workbook or a structured programme of exercises may find the book's Socratic indirection a mismatch for their needs. For those willing to engage on its own terms, the book delivers Adlerian thought through a format that is, as Publisher's Weekly put it, both instructive and genuinely enjoyable.