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aura_rurubele's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
4.5
This book is quirky and beautiful as it is informative and carrying the magic of the most simple states of humanity; just being.
If you need reasons to find the light in life again,this book may just give you one or two.
If you need reasons to find the light in life again,this book may just give you one or two.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
ttraian's review against another edition
5.0
O carte buna, care te intampina cu o calmitate si o stare de bine cum nu am mai vazut pana acum. Simti ca citesti niste sfaturi de la un prieten, nu ca citesti o carte zic asta pentru ca autorul are grija sa se deschida si sa-si puna experientele pe foaie, intr-un mod foarte prietenos si sincer. Merita!
lyssidee's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
estachew's review against another edition
5.0
Great read for this time of year as you are reflecting on your habits, behaviors, and attitudes toward the world
trin's review against another edition
1.0
I read this because I have been anxious as hell (gosh I wonder why?) and a glance at the early chapter on goalposts (with their tendency to keep moving) felt helpful. But oh boy, did the warning bells start ringing early -- building to Kill Bill level sirens.
I have a lot of sympathy -- of empathy -- for Haig's history of anxiety and depression, but the privilege on display in this book is just off the charts. If I catalogued every boneheaded thing he said in this book, we'd be here for days, but (paraphrased) highlights include: "Just unplug for a while!" (I have a job?) "Hey, I know it's natural for women to hate their bodies, but did you know men hate their bodies now too?" (Lots to unpack there.) "I once visited a homeless shelter and it was very inspiring." (...Dude.) But my absolute favorite has to be (not paraphrased):
...
Okay, so. You're imagining an alternate history of WWII where smartphones existed to document the Holocaust, and your first thought here is that it would have been traumatic for the global witnesses? Not that this could have helped stop the atrocities? Not that part of why the Nazis were able to slaughter eleven million people is that they were able to do much of it in secret (or "secret"; people did know)? ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE? LISTEN TO THE WORDS COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.
I can't even take the time to rebut this seriously, because I have already taken more time to think about it than Matt Haig did.
Runner up: the "Imagine" chapter (written before the celebrity "Imagine" video, but about as cringe), wherein Haig says, "Imagine if we had a day where we called human being human beings" and then spends two pages essentially letting us know that he "doesn't see color." I can't with this book.
I have a lot of sympathy -- of empathy -- for Haig's history of anxiety and depression, but the privilege on display in this book is just off the charts. If I catalogued every boneheaded thing he said in this book, we'd be here for days, but (paraphrased) highlights include: "Just unplug for a while!" (I have a job?) "Hey, I know it's natural for women to hate their bodies, but did you know men hate their bodies now too?" (Lots to unpack there.) "I once visited a homeless shelter and it was very inspiring." (...Dude.) But my absolute favorite has to be (not paraphrased):
Imagine, for instance, if there had been social media and camera phones during the Second World War. If people had seen, in full color, on smartphones, the consequences of every bomb, or the reality of every concentration camp, or the bloodied and mutilated bodies of soldiers, then the collective and psychological experience who have expanded the terror far beyond those who were experiencing it firsthand.
...
Okay, so. You're imagining an alternate history of WWII where smartphones existed to document the Holocaust, and your first thought here is that it would have been traumatic for the global witnesses? Not that this could have helped stop the atrocities? Not that part of why the Nazis were able to slaughter eleven million people is that they were able to do much of it in secret (or "secret"; people did know)? ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE? LISTEN TO THE WORDS COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.
I can't even take the time to rebut this seriously, because I have already taken more time to think about it than Matt Haig did.
Runner up: the "Imagine" chapter (written before the celebrity "Imagine" video, but about as cringe), wherein Haig says, "Imagine if we had a day where we called human being human beings" and then spends two pages essentially letting us know that he "doesn't see color." I can't with this book.
brisingr's review against another edition
DNF after 50 pages. I just wasn't interested at all in whatever the book was trying to say.