Cubs Fan's Guide to Happiness

The Chicago Cubs tradition is one built on spectacular losing streaks and even more spectacular collapses. Yet despite all the losses and disappointments, an amazing thing happens every summer at the corner of Addison and Sheffield: millions of fans flock to Wrigley Field and millions more fans across the country regularly tune in to watch Cubs games broadcast on television. Exactly why Cubs fans support their squad with such reckless abandon isn’t entirely clear—these people represent a remarkable aberration of human psychology, epitomizing the spirit and experience of dedication to a desperate cause. And the whole time, they’re oddly happy. The Cubs Fan’s Guide to Happiness reveals what makes Cubs fans tick and what keeps them happy. It explains why it’s not over until you’re mathematically eliminated, why winning really isn’t everything, and why it’s perfectly acceptable to blame all your trouble on a scapegoat—which may or may not be an actual goat. The fully revised edition also provides educational sidebars, practical applications, and true words of wisdom from celebrity Cubs fans as well as surviving the planned renovations to the product on the field and Wrigley Field itself.

George Ellis is the cofounder of the Heckler, a satirical Chicago sports publication. Originally focused on the Cubs, the Heckler expanded to cover all Chicago sports in 2006. He lives in Austin, Texas.