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  • Notes on a Nervous Planet

  • By: Matt Haig
  • Narrated by: Matt Haig
  • Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (70 ratings)

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Notes on a Nervous Planet

By: Matt Haig
Narrated by: Matt Haig
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Publisher's Summary

The world is messing with our minds. Rates of stress and anxiety are rising. A fast, nervous planet is creating fast and nervous lives. We are more connected yet feel more alone. And we are encouraged to worry about everything from world politics to our body mass index.

  • How can we stay sane on a planet that makes us mad?
  • How do we stay human in a technological world?
  • How do we feel happy when we are encouraged to be anxious?

After experiencing years of anxiety and panic attacks, these questions became urgent matters of life and death for Matt Haig. And he began to look for the link between what he felt and the world around him.

Notes on a Nervous Planet is a personal and vital look at how to feel happy, human and whole in the 21st century.

©2018 Matt Haig (P)2018 Canongate Books Ltd

Critic Reviews

"Warm and wise. If the modern world is making you anxious, this is the perfect book for you." (Claudia Hammond, BBC Radio 4)

"Examines how the world infiltrates our minds, and how to cope with its manifold distractions." (Anita Sethi)

"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)

What listeners say about Notes on a Nervous Planet

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Couldn't finish it

Maybe I'm unfair in my appraisal as I have zero neuroticism but christ almighty this is stuff which would seem obvious to the average 20 year old.
Stop comparing yourself to others, the news is scary and you can't control it so don't consume too much, internet fights are bad... like this is just a fevered annoying rant. I don't feel sympathetic for those with anxiety, I'm annoyed this guy wasted a couple hours of my life.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

More perspective, less tech

This was a nice, short read. Haig heavily discussed a global perspective of the technology revolution and it's impact - both negative and positive. I was most engaged when he shared specific examples of his worries, anxious situations and panic attacks. He inspires readers to employ mindfulness, social media boundaries, connection with others and simplification in cultivating a calmer, happier life. Haig's personal resilience and professional advocacy is to be commended!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

honest and real

I truly resonant a lot with what Matt Haig writes in this novel, his ideas on life I could not agree more with. He has inspired me to be more aware of the technology I use and to use it less, to go out in nature and to find peace. I highly recommend this.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A gently life altering read

This book has changed my life. Not in a cheesey, selfhelpy, "my life in wonderful now" kind of way but in a genuine way. There was one particular line that hit me like someone had just stuck me with an arrow. It was the one about checking Twitter when I should be making myself breakfast. I had to go over that line again and again. I knew that I'd just come across one of those life altering pieces of information. I will listen to this book over and over again. I just know it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A book I always return to

a book I always return to when my world seems to be spinning in erratic circles.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Max
  • 30-04-2022

thank you

Thank you Matt, great book, we could all do well to live less anxiously

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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eye opening

was great to listen too. I found the listings in each chapter a bit much, bit overall I took away some great points and hope to listen again some day

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

A fascinating and consoling exploration of what trying to feel okay often entails in the 21st century. Eloquently written and sincerely performed, this audiobook is equally revealing, reassuring and awe-inspiring. Just wonderful.

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