A review by holly_keimig
Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety by Daniel B. Smith

2.0

I had rather high expectations going into this book. I wanted to better understand the anxious people in my life and was hoping for something other than just breathing tips to be able to help them. Since this was a biography, I was hoping it would help me understand better what it's like inside an anxious mind. The main character did have some helpful ideas near the end of the book and I could relate to some of what he said based on personal experience with anxiety. That said, I spent most of the book wishing that the author wasn't blaming his anxiety on his upbringing/mother or talking about his experience with a potential rape. I found it very hard to relate to him and found the things he fixated on rather grating at times. This book could have been so much more. It might be helpful for those who have dealt with the things the author has, but as a general anxiety memoir, it probably isn't for most people seeking something relatable. There are some pretty triggering topics in the book as well.