How We Break

Reviews

A lyrical and ultimately uplifting examination of what happens when our minds and bodies are put under extreme stress or suffering Drawing on a wide range of sources about the human experience, Vincent Deary has written a warm and compassionate book about how we hurt and how we heal. A rich and humane work From a deep mine of science, philosophy, art and personal experience, Vincent Deary has produced a treasure of a book. Every page of How We Break gleams with wisdom and insight. Nobody could fail to be enriched by it A particular strength of the book is the way Deary weaves between different schools of thought within psychology, philosophy and religion. The result is not merely a discussion of abstract ideas, but a collection of valuable observations about what it means to be human in the modern world Deary’s exhilarating new book mixes science, philosophy and memoir to argue that self-acceptance is our best defence against the stress of living… Deary’s writing is wise and compassionate, sometimes florid and always interesting – few writers could jump so nimbly between Proust and RuPaul, neuroscience and the occult. … Deary’s is the rare book that helps you see the world a little differently The psychologist and researcher’s persuasive inquiry into how life’s struggles take their toll is full of hard-won wisdom... There is a rawness to Deary’s analysis that gives a compelling human edge to his theorising Deary offers a thought experiment that just might be a game-changer In How We Break, the health psychologist Vincent Deary suggests some answers for ­‘navigating the wear and tear of living’… This essential self-exploration underlines the deeply humane plea which is the heartbeat of the book: for more self-compassion… There is much wisdom in Deary’s regret that this society has neglected the idea of convalescence’ Exhilarating... a lyrical, consoling exploration... It takes guts to recognise that change is called for, and more to follow it through. This book - so long as you don't read it on autopilot - should help Fascinating, profound, wonderfully well-observed... [How We Are] could change lives This is a book that gets your mind whizzing off in lots of directions... It's crammed with ideas. It makes your head spin, in a good way An extraordinary book... There are so many insights and moments of poetry along the way... The book is all the more useful because it is uncomfortable and disturbing; it makes you re-examine your priorities and habits Expand reviews