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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I am always somewhat sceptical of books like this at first, fearing what I think of as 'the Malcolm Gladwell effect', where an author introduces a concept in chapter 1 that they themselves have coined (often their own wording of a phenomenon that other people have discovered) and then spends the next 300 pages listing story after story to show why they were right.
However, where 'Chatter' is different for me is in how the stories continue to deepen the concept and explore it at length, whilst looking regularly at the science that informs it (of which Ethan Kross is a central figure).
Kross' central idea, borne out of years of research, is that the inner monologue we experience in various forms is not only part of what makes us human, but is also what can lead to our greatest failures and successes.
In this sense, it becomes a muscle that we can train to help it become our best ally, and Kross explores both where the inner monologue's 'chatter' is too strong and overpowering, and it convinces us that we are worthless and/or prone to failure, but also how we can use it to reinforce positive messages, or even blank it out at specific moments.
This therefore tips this book into being a bit of a how-to guide as well as a fascinating look into research. For example, he looks at how rituals- whether religious, superstitious, cultural or seemingly bizarre- play an important role in supporting our ability to approach certain tasks at hand, from writing, to complex technical work, to high-pressure situations like fishing in shark-infested waters or playing professional sport.
Overall, I think this book is a neatly digestible joy, that is both quite challenging but also accessible. Experiencing it as an audiobook (with Kross himself reading it) is also quite interesting, as you can sometimes hear your inner monologue being pulled back into focus by the discussions.
Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
However, where 'Chatter' is different for me is in how the stories continue to deepen the concept and explore it at length, whilst looking regularly at the science that informs it (of which Ethan Kross is a central figure).
Kross' central idea, borne out of years of research, is that the inner monologue we experience in various forms is not only part of what makes us human, but is also what can lead to our greatest failures and successes.
In this sense, it becomes a muscle that we can train to help it become our best ally, and Kross explores both where the inner monologue's 'chatter' is too strong and overpowering, and it convinces us that we are worthless and/or prone to failure, but also how we can use it to reinforce positive messages, or even blank it out at specific moments.
This therefore tips this book into being a bit of a how-to guide as well as a fascinating look into research. For example, he looks at how rituals- whether religious, superstitious, cultural or seemingly bizarre- play an important role in supporting our ability to approach certain tasks at hand, from writing, to complex technical work, to high-pressure situations like fishing in shark-infested waters or playing professional sport.
Overall, I think this book is a neatly digestible joy, that is both quite challenging but also accessible. Experiencing it as an audiobook (with Kross himself reading it) is also quite interesting, as you can sometimes hear your inner monologue being pulled back into focus by the discussions.
Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.7 leaves out of 5
Cover: 3/5
Content: 3/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: NonoFic/Self help
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: Meh
So I gave it a 3.7 rounded down to a 3. I really don't care for self help books. Like how do I know you aren't spouting complete bull? From my prospective I don't think it was great but I don't think it was bad. There are some things that were... very questionable or just wrong for me. I know the hard topics were rough for some, but I get his point in using them. I just think he could have done it way better. I don't think I got those in the audio. All in all, did I learn anything from this? No... not really. Maybe because a friend of mine was a psych major and I had to hear his ramblings. Would... you even call that self help and not just a very beige text book?
Cover: 3/5
Content: 3/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: NonoFic/Self help
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: Meh
So I gave it a 3.7 rounded down to a 3. I really don't care for self help books. Like how do I know you aren't spouting complete bull? From my prospective I don't think it was great but I don't think it was bad. There are some things that were... very questionable or just wrong for me. I know the hard topics were rough for some, but I get his point in using them. I just think he could have done it way better. I don't think I got those in the audio. All in all, did I learn anything from this? No... not really. Maybe because a friend of mine was a psych major and I had to hear his ramblings. Would... you even call that self help and not just a very beige text book?
Listened to this in audiobook form in multiple chunks while driving. Lots of good strategies and interesting research topics related to calming/controlling the voice in your head.
So, you know that voice inside your head? Does it narrate your movements or is it more of a background projector of your thoughts? The book Chatter by Ethan Kross takes a look at this inner voice and makes suggestions as to how to better make it work for you. This book talks about the tricks we can play on our brains with things like rituals and placebos, and the ways we can talk to ourselves to stop upsetting thoughts from taking over. I wanted to hear more about different types of inner voices but this was very interesting nonetheless.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Really interesting concept about our inner monologue and how we can calm it down by looking at the big picture either by our environment or even by saying our names in our heads. I thought it was quite informative about our inner voice.
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
informative
medium-paced