Sane New World: Taming The Mind (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
I like the author, but didn't enjoy the book. The comedy seemed to have no flow to it, she just seemed to feel compelled to put a joke in every line. The whole thing in general had no story which made it nearly impossible to keep reading.I have felt depression, but my experience of it bears very little resemblance to Wax's. I feel no compulsions to shop. No compulsions at all, actually. And I don't have her voices of envy or anxiety, so overall it was close to incomprehensible to me in those parts. All I felt reading it was that she was talking about how terrible her mother was, while she was herself quite obviously a nightmare who lived as though her children didn't exist. At the end of the book she's brushed them off into tidy boxes saying they're Prom Queens with thousands of friends invited to every party. And perhaps they are. But much more likely, as has been the case for her entire life as she reports in the book, she's far too busy being narcissistic and has put her children into tidy boxes so she can continue ignoring them.She offers all this advice on how to achieve wisdom, but I see no patience, depth or mellowness to her. She still seems frenetic and overly busy comparing herself to others. There has been no revelation. She is still hunting for acknowledgement and fame. Whatever mindfulness has brought her, it has not given her the ability to be quietly reflective. ...purchased after hearing Ruby Wax being interviewed on Simon Mayo Drive Time show (BBC Radio 5Live), Wax's 'manual to happiness' through mindfulness does have some useful techniques to calm the mind and engage the 'being' mode from our active day to day 'doing' mode of our brain....yet, was hampered by Wax's long sections of autobiographical ruminations on her fight with depression...in this presented context it distracted from the meaningful teachings we can all use, gained from the MA she achieved at Oxford University....(we don't get there till page 77 of a 258 page book)...Nevertheless, to be able to still the mind in our ever demanding world and understand that curiosity with exercise is the key to a more healthy and fulfilling life as we age, was reward enough for tacking this book....a little humility, compassion and patience goes a long way in life and reading this book...7/10
What do You think about Sane New World: Taming The Mind (2013)?
great book !! ruby has gone to oxford and gotten all clever !! Neuroplasticity is the future !
—James
Great! I like Ruby's style of writing, very engaging. Taught me a lot about mindfullness
—Adi
Fun, informative & full of Ruby's character ! ... Great book !
—Velisha
Informative, and helpful with humour throughout.
—princess
