From a leading neuroscience researcher, an exploration of the neural basis of optimism, and how the brain simulates the future. How does the brain generate hope? How does it trick us into moving forward? What happens when it fails? How do the brains of optimists differ from those of pessimists? Psychologists have long been aware that most people tend to entertain an irrationally positive outlook on their lives. Optimism may be so crucial to our existence that it is hard-wired into our brains. With the emergence of MRI brain imaging, we are beginning to understand the neural mechanisms and to understand the biological basis of optimism, and how our optimistic illusions affect our financial, professional and emotional decisions.

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.