Notes on a Nervous Planet | Matt Haig

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Library.

The world is messing with our minds. What if there was something we could do about it?

Looking at sleep, news, social media, addiction, work and play, Matt Haig invites us to feel calmer, happier and to question the habits of the digital age. This book might even change the way you spend your precious time on earth.

A follow-up to Matt Haig's internationally best-selling memoir Reasons to Stay Alive, a broader look at how modern life feeds our anxiety, and how to live a better life.

The societies we live in are increasingly making our minds ill, making it feel as though the way we live is engineered to make us unhappy. When Matt Haig developed panic disorder, anxiety, and depression as an adult, it took him a long time to work out the ways the external world could impact his mental health in both positive and negative ways. Notes on a Nervous Planet collects his observations, taking a look at how the various social, commercial, and technological "advancements" that have created the world we now live in can actually hinder our happiness. 

Haig examines everything from broader phenomena like inequality, social media, and the news; to things closer to our daily lives, like how we sleep, how we exercise, and even the distinction we draw between our minds and our bodies.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A personal favourite and the best reminder during the summer season… or any season, as a matter of fact.” –Meghan Markle, for British Vogue on "A Note from the Beach" from Notes On A Nervous Planet

"A primer for how to live in the present moment, this book will find grateful readers everywhere." —Nigella Lawson, author of How to Be a Domestic Goddess and Nigella Bites
 
"Take Notes on a Nervous Planet twice daily, with or without food. Crammed with wisdom, insight, love and wit." —Stephen Fry

“Likable and thought-provoking . . . A wonderfully perceptive chronicle of life in the always-on social media age.” —The Guardian

"Witty, honest, and engaging. Haig shows great skill in describing the 'invisible cyclone' of depression. . . A worthy successor to Reasons to Stay Alive." —The Sunday Times

“Notes on a Nervous Planet contains lists, imagined conversations, essays, and personal stories that critique the damage that worry—about the environment, politics, the news, and everything else that demands our attention on a daily basis—wreaks on our ability to live a full life. Haig artfully, powerfully counters these challenges with battle-tested advice from his own hard-won experience.” —Booklist
 
"Readers who have experienced anxiety without a tangible cause will find comfort in Haig’s words and vulnerability. Haig articulates much of what isn’t working for humans in today’s world while refraining from being too cynical." —Salon 

"If technology and social media make you anxious, you’re not alone. . . .Should you need a positive influence right now, Matt Haig has your back." —HelloGiggles

“In this illuminating follow-up to his memoir, Reasons to Stay Alive, novelist and children’s author Haig (How to Stop Time, 2018, etc.) continues to explore how the rapid pace of our modern world can adversely affect our psyche… In bite-sized chapters, the author considers the various issues that plague us, including our increasing addiction to smartphones and social media, the emotional impact of absorbing 24-hour cycles of often grueling international news events, and our collective lack of sleep…. [An] often wise and inspiring self-help title strengthened by the author’s very personal experiences and acquired insight.” —Kirkus

"[Haig] is a smart operator who knows his readership and genuinely wants to help them . . . I reached the last page admiring the author’s inventive energy and insight." —The Daily Mail
 
"Warm and wise. If the modern world is making you anxious, this is the perfect book for you." —Claudia Hammond, author of Time Warped
 
"Beautiful, honest and wise." —Fearne Cotton, BBC Radio 
 
"A convincing, wise, and reassuring book." —The Irish Times

"Is the modern world doing our heads in? Matt Haig shares our fears and gives answers to the question from many different angles. An enthralling book." —Jo Brand, author of The More You Ignore Me
 
"Warm and wise. If the modern world is making you anxious, this is the perfect book for you." —Claudia Hammond, author of Time Warped

About the Author

Matt Haig is the number one international bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive, Notes on a Nervous Planet and The Comfort Book, as well as several novels for adults, including #1 New York Times bestseller The Midnight Library, and How To Stop Time. Haig also writes award-winning books for children, including A Boy Called Christmas, which has been made into a feature film with an all-star cast.  His work has been translated into over fifty languages.