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A review by jfkaess
First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story About Anxiety by Sarah Wilson
4.0
Actually 3.5 stars. This review will be longer than my usual reviews because this was, for me, an unusual book. I listened to the audiobook. Sarah Wilson is Australian, and she narrates the book herself. Most authors are not good narrators, but she does ok, and her Australian accent makes the book slightly more appealing than it would otherwise have been.
The author comes to this book with some excellent creds having written the book "I Quit Sugar" along with several other books tied to that book (how to's, cookbooks, etc). She has a reputation for doing thorough research and for writing well. Those things apply to this book about anxiety. That's the good part. She sites studies, gives numerous examples, quotes many reputable and highly regarded writers, scientists, experts in meditation, psychiatrists, yogi's and others.
So what's the downside? She writes the book in the first person, it's emotional, autobiographical, frustrating, depressing, somewhat scattered across time, place, events, aspects of her issues and problems and more. I'm tempted to say that the first half of the book (about 4 hours of the audiobook) is just a hot mess. She is a basket case with numerous physical and mental issues. Most of those issues somewhat relate to anxiety, but they are not typical for the average person. She has Hashimoto's disease. She has ADHD, she has depression, she's attempted suicide several times. This makes the book an emotional roller coaster, and i found myself often saying "I don't have those problems, i'm just overwhelmed by anxiety sometimes".
Half way through the book, the author finally settles down and talks more directly about anxiety, her experiences, and things that have helped her. That part of the book was helpful. I also found myself saying "Well, if she found hope and help with all her physical and emotional problems, then there is hope for me and for others". That's what makes this a book worth wading through. I just want anyone reading my review to know that the trip through this book will not be easy or at times, seem at all worthwhile. However, there is good information once you get through her self-centered expressions of poor me, i'm such a mess, and into the more useful part of how she has come to deal with her life.
The author comes to this book with some excellent creds having written the book "I Quit Sugar" along with several other books tied to that book (how to's, cookbooks, etc). She has a reputation for doing thorough research and for writing well. Those things apply to this book about anxiety. That's the good part. She sites studies, gives numerous examples, quotes many reputable and highly regarded writers, scientists, experts in meditation, psychiatrists, yogi's and others.
So what's the downside? She writes the book in the first person, it's emotional, autobiographical, frustrating, depressing, somewhat scattered across time, place, events, aspects of her issues and problems and more. I'm tempted to say that the first half of the book (about 4 hours of the audiobook) is just a hot mess. She is a basket case with numerous physical and mental issues. Most of those issues somewhat relate to anxiety, but they are not typical for the average person. She has Hashimoto's disease. She has ADHD, she has depression, she's attempted suicide several times. This makes the book an emotional roller coaster, and i found myself often saying "I don't have those problems, i'm just overwhelmed by anxiety sometimes".
Half way through the book, the author finally settles down and talks more directly about anxiety, her experiences, and things that have helped her. That part of the book was helpful. I also found myself saying "Well, if she found hope and help with all her physical and emotional problems, then there is hope for me and for others". That's what makes this a book worth wading through. I just want anyone reading my review to know that the trip through this book will not be easy or at times, seem at all worthwhile. However, there is good information once you get through her self-centered expressions of poor me, i'm such a mess, and into the more useful part of how she has come to deal with her life.