Matthieu Ricard Matthieu Ricard is a Buddhist monk who had a promising career in cellular genetics before leaving France to study Buddhism in the Himalayas thirty-five years ago. He is a bestselling author, translator and photographer, and an active participant in crrent scientific research on the effects of meditation on the brain. He lives and works on humanitarian projects in Tibet and Nepal. Happiness was published by Atlantic Books in 2007. Read More Read Less