Why Is God Laughing?: The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism

In this refreshing new take on spirituality, bestselling author Deepak Chopra uses a fictional tale of a comedian and his unlikely mentor to show us a path back to hope, joy, and even enlightenment — with a lot of laughter along the way.

Meet Mickey Fellows. A successful L.A. comedian, he's just a regular guy, with his fair share of fears, egocentricities, and addictions. After his father's death, Mickey meets a mysterious stranger named Francisco, who changes his life forever. The two begin an ongoing discussion about the true nature of being. Reluctantly at first, Mickey accepts the stranger's help and starts to explore his own life in an effort to answer the riddles Francisco poses. Mickey starts to look at those aspects of himself that he has hidden behind a wall of wisecracks all his life. Eventually Mickey realizes that authentic humor opens him up to the power of spirit — allowing him to finally make real connections with people.

After taking the reader on a journey with Mickey, Chopra then spells out the lessons that Mickey's story imparts to us: ten reasons to be optimistic, even in our challenging world. Chopra believes that the healthiest response to life is laughter from the heart, and even in the face of global turmoil, we can cultivate an internal sense of optimism. Rich with humor and practical advice, Why Is God Laughing? shows us without a doubt that there is always a reason to be grateful, that every possibility holds the promise of abundance, and that obstacles are simply opportunities in disguise. In the end, we really don’t need a reason to be happy. The power of happiness lies within each of us, just waiting to be unleashed. And Mickey Fellows's journey shows us the way.

"Why is God laughing? Good question. Deepak takes us halfway to an answer, to a line in the sand. Then, after we've contemplated the parable of Mickey Fellows, we cross that line and arrive at the liberating answer on our own. What is it? I ain't telling. Read the book yourself!" Dan Aykroyd, actor and comedian

"If you're skimming these quotes to see whether you're going to buy this book, don't bother. Just read a bit of chapter five!" John Cleese, actor and comedian

"Why Is God Laughing? deserves a standing ovation; I couldn't put it down. Deepak Chopra has written another life-changing book that I will definitely recommend to everyone." Mike Robles, Emmy Award–winning comedian; creator and executive producer of Que Locos and Loco Comedy Jam

Featuring a Foreword by comedian Mike Myers, this exploration of joy and spiritual optimism tells the lighthearted story of successful comedian Mickey Fellows and his friend as they explore how to overcome fear, ego, and addiction — the three major obstacles to joy — and discover the path to optimism.

Deepak Chopra is the author of more than fifty books translated into over thirty-five languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers in both the fiction and nonfiction categories. Chopra's "Wellness Radio" airs weekly on Sirius Satellite Stars, Channel 102, and focuses on the areas of success, love, sexuality and relationships, well-being, and spirituality. He is founder and president of the Alliance for a New Humanity. Visit his website at www.deepakchopra.com.