The psychology of positive thinking is now a well established subject of inquiry in academe; it is also at the heart of a large informal industry of books, videos and courses. In the new Dublin Review, David Ralph reports on an influential and sometimes very peculiar world. Also: Donald Mahoney writes about the golden age of pizza in the Burren, in which he played a small part; Karen O’Reilly recalls a terrifying stand-off in a hotel room in Tanzania; and much more.