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The Antidote

Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking

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The Antidote

By: Oliver Burkeman
Narrated by: Oliver Burkeman
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

What if ‘positive thinking’ and relentless optimism aren’t the solution to the happiness dilemma, but part of the problem?

Oliver Burkeman turns decades of self-help advice on its head and paradoxically forces us to rethink our attitudes towards failure, uncertainty and death. It’s our constant efforts to avoid negative thinking that cause us to feel anxious, insecure and unhappy. What if happiness can be found embracing the things we spend our lives trying to escape? Wise, practical and funny, The Antidote is a thought-provoking, counter-intuitive and ultimately uplifting read, celebrating the power of negative thinking.

©2019 Oliver Burkeman (P)2019 Penguin Audio Career Success Motivation & Self-Improvement Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Funny Inspiring Feel-Good

Critic Reviews

"Burkeman has written some of the most truthful and useful words on happiness to be published in recent years." (Guardian)

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One of the very few books I can honestly say did this for me. It's not a thriller, but like a plant you nurture, if you invest the time into it (relisten where necessary) the rewards can be both great and rather beautiful.

The author narrates his own work and has a rather soothing voice. So if forced to pick a fault, it would be that this book oscillated between keeping me awake with fascination, and putting me to sleep with his relaxing and paradoxically life affirming tale.

Cannot recommend enough.

Changed the way I see myself and the world

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A well written and page turning adventure through discovering something better than the pursuit of happiness and positive thinking. Exactly what I needed to read, thanks Oliver, would recommend to all

Stoicism, Buddhism and death

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I enjoyed every minute of this book. As a recent philosophy student, and a recovering self-help positivity addict, this book helped me understand many of the concepts that have been on the fringe of my consciousness for a while. I find Burkeman’s style both engaging and soothing, and I’m left wanting to listen to The Antidote again and again so I can wipe away some of the happiness ideals that have left me feeling miserable about my life for so long.

Thoroughly enjoyable

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I struggled with the narrator's voice, very boring, at the end I seemed to not have a clear conclusion.

Amazing topics and well researched.

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This is an excellent book that both clearly and entertainingly walks through the key tenants of this approach. And this approach is … spot on!

One of the best

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This book came highly recommend and it certainly lived up to it! Very well written piece and very thought provoking.

This book came highly recommend

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Good collection of an eclectic range of insights and studies on the topic of accepting and embracing reality over false hype and ra-ra nonesesnse and psuedo science. Well worth the time. Narration isn't awesome but not terrible either.

Concise and insightful

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As someone who enjoyed 4000 weeks, the Antidote was a treat with a vaguely similar theme, and tons more interesting references and stories to help make the underlying points stick.

Particularly outstanding in this title is the theme of how goals and ruthless confidence in achieving them can be far more detrimental than creating poor outcomes... it can, as Oliver relates, go as far as being deadly.

If you like having your views on the world and your own existence stirred, then this book is for you.

Pairs well with 4000 weeks

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This book takes you on a journey through a unique perspective of happiness in life. It’s entertaining and and informative. I loved it!

Awe inspiring

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Oliver Burkeman writes compellingly and humorously about the human experience. An enjoyable and thought-provoking audiobook to listen to!

Entertaining and well-reasoned

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