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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Much like Matt Haig's other books "Reasons to Stay Alive" and "The Comfort Book," "Notes on a Nervous Planet" is an informal, yet poignant nonfiction book discussing important issues. In this case, Haig is focusing on the way digital technology has made it hard for us to connect with each other and to the world. It has made us more anxious and unsure of ourselves, creating roadblocks that prevent us from moving forward with our lives.
Haig uses both his own personal experiences sprinkled with facts and history to make this book an engaging one that invites the audience in when a more academic book might dissuade them from talking about the issues that impact their lives. It's not perfect, but it gets its points across well enough for readers to be compelled to want to do something about it. Yet it also doesn't promise anything that most self-help books might in an effort to appear earnest and honest.
I enjoyed listening to Haig narrate the audiobook as he comes across as someone who is decent and wholesome. It makes all the difference to me and makes me compelled to revisit the book someday in a print format.
Haig uses both his own personal experiences sprinkled with facts and history to make this book an engaging one that invites the audience in when a more academic book might dissuade them from talking about the issues that impact their lives. It's not perfect, but it gets its points across well enough for readers to be compelled to want to do something about it. Yet it also doesn't promise anything that most self-help books might in an effort to appear earnest and honest.
I enjoyed listening to Haig narrate the audiobook as he comes across as someone who is decent and wholesome. It makes all the difference to me and makes me compelled to revisit the book someday in a print format.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
While I think that a lot of what Haig covers here is intuitive and things many of us have heard before, I do think that there are some good reminders about how our world has changed a lot recently, how much of society isn’t doing us any favors in adjusting, how some are taking advantage of us floundering to do so, and how we can find ways to push back against that.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
A book that makes you feel like you are not alone in the universe, you are heard, thought about and cared for. It feels like a series of blog posts from someone suffering from the weight of the world - it’s relatable, current and a must read about the human experience in modern times.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I’m not even going to review this- just read it!
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
It took me several months to get through this book, but only because I was taking my time to really appreciate his perspective. I believe this is a book I will return to again and again. The next time I have to list my all-time favorite or most impactful books, Notes on a Nervous Planet will be on that list.
The author has experienced years of anxiety and panic attacks, and this book talks about the planet itself as suffering from the same things. Life in the 21st century is filled with anxiety-inducing craziness -- everything from the constant flow of news, to social media pressure to be perfect, to always being connected and "on," to the environment and the damage we are doing, to our truly messed up politics... and on and on.
Hmmm. I'm not doing a great job of explaining why I liked this book so much. After the year we've been through managing and understanding my daughter's anxiety and depression, this seems like it would not be a book that appeals to me, that I'd rather escape from anything related to anxiety. But I promise you, this book is not a laundry list of horrible things. Rather, the author has a way of putting it all into context, that everything that is happening in the world is impacting us as individuals, and he points to all of these factors as contributing to our own anxieties. (By the way, I have no doubt whatsoever that mental health has a strong genetic component, but there's also so much to be said about our daily life in this really crazy world.) He gently shows us that we have other options. We can unplug. We can change the way we perceive the world and the way we interact with the world.
His writing style is personable and approachable. If you are drawn to memoir and/or if you don't go running in the other direction at the words 'self-help,' perhaps this book is for you. This is not a religious or even spiritual book, but it touches on themes that are timeless and universal and connected to all of humanity. (I know, this is sounding weird. This isn't a book for everyone, I don't think.) The sections are composed of shorter essays, lists, conversations and notes. I think the next time I read this, and I am certain there will be several next times, I will probably mark it up with highlighter. There's so much here. If I could name only one book to have with me on a deserted island, it might be this one.
The author has experienced years of anxiety and panic attacks, and this book talks about the planet itself as suffering from the same things. Life in the 21st century is filled with anxiety-inducing craziness -- everything from the constant flow of news, to social media pressure to be perfect, to always being connected and "on," to the environment and the damage we are doing, to our truly messed up politics... and on and on.
Hmmm. I'm not doing a great job of explaining why I liked this book so much. After the year we've been through managing and understanding my daughter's anxiety and depression, this seems like it would not be a book that appeals to me, that I'd rather escape from anything related to anxiety. But I promise you, this book is not a laundry list of horrible things. Rather, the author has a way of putting it all into context, that everything that is happening in the world is impacting us as individuals, and he points to all of these factors as contributing to our own anxieties. (By the way, I have no doubt whatsoever that mental health has a strong genetic component, but there's also so much to be said about our daily life in this really crazy world.) He gently shows us that we have other options. We can unplug. We can change the way we perceive the world and the way we interact with the world.
His writing style is personable and approachable. If you are drawn to memoir and/or if you don't go running in the other direction at the words 'self-help,' perhaps this book is for you. This is not a religious or even spiritual book, but it touches on themes that are timeless and universal and connected to all of humanity. (I know, this is sounding weird. This isn't a book for everyone, I don't think.) The sections are composed of shorter essays, lists, conversations and notes. I think the next time I read this, and I am certain there will be several next times, I will probably mark it up with highlighter. There's so much here. If I could name only one book to have with me on a deserted island, it might be this one.