A review by in_the_pages
My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel

2.0

Rated: 2.5 stars

I purchased this book based on all the excellent reviews but sadly, this book just did not captivate me like so many others. I regret purchasing the book and instead wish I would have just borrowed the digital copy from the library.

I appreciate the authors' research and his courage in documenting and sharing his personal account of his mental health issues with anxiety however I found the material overwhelming, dry and in many places quite boring. The book also didn't flow as nicely as I expected it to and I found all the footnotes to be rather annoying and in fact, it struck me that if I were ever to attempt to write a book I would probably do the same thing because I tend to ramble and would probably struggle with creating a cohesive story.

I also (and I'm sure other reviewers will jump on me for this) found the author a tad bit whiny (ouch, I know). I mean, I get it you have anxiety. I have suffered from panic attacks in the past, and I know many others who have as well so I'm not unsympathetic to the experiences and the struggle however, there was just a tone in some parts of the book that made me feel less empathetic which I regret.

In summation, the book just wasn't the book for me but despite my initial concerns I laboured through and finished the book. There were some passages I highlighted and found intriguing but otherwise, this book just didn't strike a chord with me and for that I am disappointed.