Průměrný index štěstí – Machado David (2021)

Daniel has a plan, something like a diary about the future, which he writes in a notebook with black covers. Occasionally, life’s events force him to flip back through the diary, make a few adjustments, and lower some of his resolutions; nevertheless, he experiences a life that he believes is successful and, in his own way, happy. Suddenly, however, something happens that Daniel did not account for in his diary plan. Portugal finds itself on the brink of economic collapse, and with it, Daniel's entire plan crumbles – he loses his job and his roof over his head, his own family becomes estranged, and even his childhood best friends drift away. Despite everything, Daniel is determined not to give up, and his will to start anew seems invincible. When his friend Xavier casually mentions the average happiness index, Daniel begins to reflect in a fictional dialogue with his friend Almodóvar not only on the true value of his own happiness but also on the values that one leaves for future generations. The average happiness index is an admirable novel about an indomitable optimist who fights to the last breath for his dignified life and for the happiness of those he loves. Through its dramatic, realistic, and at times humorous narrative, David Machado...