Oliver Burkeman

Antidote Oliver Burkeman

Publisher Marketing: For a civilization so fixated on achieving happiness, we seem remarkably incompetent at the task. Self-help books don t seem to work. Few of the many advantages of modern life seem capable of lifting our collective mood. Wealth even if you can get it doesn t lead to happiness. Romance, family life and work often seem to bring stress as much as joy. We can t even agree on what happiness means. So are we engaged in a futile pursuit? Or are we just going about it the wrong way? In this fascinating audiobook, Oliver Burkeman introduces us to an unusual collection of people experimental psychologists and Buddhists, terrorism experts, spiritual teachers, philosophers and business consultants who share a single, surprising way of thinking about life. They argue that in our personal lives, and society at large, it s precisely our constant effort to be happy that is making us miserable. That "positive thinking" isn t the solution, but part of the problem. And that there is an alternative, "negative path" to happiness and success that involves embracing failure, pessimism, insecurity and uncertainty those things we spend our lives trying to avoid. Thought-provoking, counter-intuitive, and ultimately uplifting, "The Antidote" is a celebration of the power of negative thinking. " Review Citations: Christian Century 01/08/2014 pg. 41 (EAN 9780865478015, Paperback) Publishers Weekly 09/10/2012 (EAN 9780865479418, Hardcover) Kirkus Reviews 10/01/2012 pg. 2224 (EAN 9780865479418, Hardcover) - *Starred Review BookPage 11/01/2012 (EAN 9780865479418, Hardcover) Contributor Bio:  Burkeman, Oliver Oliver Burkeman is a feature writer for "The Guardian". He is a winner of the Foreign Press Association's Young Journalist of the Year award, and has been short-listed for the Orwell Prize. He writes a popular weekly column on psychology, "This Column Will Change Your Life," and has reported from New York, London, and Washington. He is the author of "The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking". He lives in New York City.