Christophe André is a psychiatrist physician at Hôpital Sainte-Anne, in Paris. All his works have met with great success, most notably Les Etats d’âme, Imparfaits, libres et heureux, Psychologie de la peur, Vivre heureux and L’Estime de soi.

In this guidebook to achieving greater serenity, Christophe André urges us to discover, assess and master our mood swings — the ever-changing flow of emotional states reflecting what we’re experiencing, have experienced and would like to experience.
Although such ‘good’ and ‘bad’ moods have a major impact on our reactions, attitudes and the way we live through our days, psychiatrists seem to have no interest in them (but literature has much to teach us about them).
What happens when minor sorrows turn into melancholy states, when little annoyances and irritations are transformed into despair? Accepting, modulating and integrating such moods, instead of succumbing to them and becoming their helpless plaything — isn’t that the path to serenity?

• Christophe André is a popular author. Drawing on numerous examples, he shows how recent research and an innovative approach have enabled him to treat many patients successfully.