Happiness for Beginners: A Novel

 Shirley J.                 Adult Fiction                 Backpacking, Stretching your Limits, Finding yourself

Happiness For Beginners: A Novel  by Katherine Center   473 pages

When Helen Carpenter's marriage ended, she moped for the first year, then her younger brother talks her into going on a wilderness survival course.  After signing up she learns that her brother's best friend since grade school has signed up to go to.  She and he have a moment while sharing a ride there then have a falling out and Helen asks him to pretend they don't know each other for the duration of the 3 week course.   Helen ends up being the oldest person on the trip, the most accident prone, and the one with the worst attitude.  She is obsessed with winning a certificate showing she put forth the biggest effort and she gets jealous when all the girls flirt with her brother's buddy.   The story is a good one and I would recommend it to high schoolers on up.