Includes bibliographical references and index.

Prologue: a glass forever half full? -- Which way is up?: illusions of the human brain -- Are animals stuck in time?: the evolution of prospection -- Is optimism a self-fulfilling prophecy?: how the mind transforms predictions into reality -- What do Barak Obama and Shirley Temple have in common?: when private optimism meets public despair -- Can you predict what will make you happy?: The unexpected ingredient for well-being -- Crocuses popping up through the snow?: when things go wrong: depression, interpretation, and genes -- Why is Friday better than Sunday?: the value of anticipation and the cost of dread -- Why do things seem better after we choose them?: the mind's journey from expectation to choice and back -- Are memories of 9/11 as accurate as they seem?: how emotion changes our past -- Why is being a cancer survivor better than winning the tour de France?: how the brain turns lead into gold -- A dark side to optimism?: from World War II to the credit crunch, underestimating risk is like drinking red wine -- Epilogue: a beautiful mademoiselle or a sad old lady?: from prediction to perception to action.