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Exuberance: The Passion for Life
With the same grace and breadth of learning she brought to her studies of the mind’s pathologies, Kay Redfield Jamison examines one of its most exalted states: exuberance. This “abounding, ebullient, effervescent emotion” manifests itself everywhere from child’s play to scientific breakthrough and is crucially important to learning, risk-taking, social cohesiveness, and ...more
Hardcover, 416 pages
Published
September 28th 2004
by Alfred A. Knopf
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i got this book in hardback the minute it came out. it's beautiful, and it makes me happy.
the psychology of happiness is becoming on one of the newest fields of research, and i think that's awesome. for so long, the field has focused on the depressing things, the crazy things, no one has thought to look at positive emotions and why they happen. which is ironic, in a way, because you would think if you could increase positive events/emotions in say, a depressed person's life, it woul...more
the psychology of happiness is becoming on one of the newest fields of research, and i think that's awesome. for so long, the field has focused on the depressing things, the crazy things, no one has thought to look at positive emotions and why they happen. which is ironic, in a way, because you would think if you could increase positive events/emotions in say, a depressed person's life, it woul...more
Kay Redfield Jamison has written a book that was for me a joy to read. She looks at that champagne of emotions, exuberance. Joy, curiosity, playfulness, and love are all aspects of exuberance, and Jamison looks at how it is important to, even essential in the development of animals - including humans. Then she goes on and shows how it is manifested in people like Teddy Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, John Muir, PT Barnum, and Richard Feynman. She also looks at joyful exuberance in fictional ch...more
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What I learned from this book:
Talking about exuberance really isn't that exciting.
Talking about exuberance really isn't that exciting.
"On the eve of his expedition to search for the source of the Nile, Richard Burton wrote in his journal of escaping world-weariness, the apathy of the known: "Of the gladdest moments in human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of Habit, the leaden weight of Routine, the cloak of many Cares, and the slavery of Home, man feels once more happy. The blood flows with the fast circulation of childhood. Ex...more
Although more scholarly than John D. Gartner's The Hypomanic Edge (q.v.), Exuberance was actually, I thought, a duller book. Gartner captures better the joie de vivre and the outright craziness that can often characterize the person who is chronically high on life. However, Jamison is a far more careful writer, and she doesn't go out onto a limb nearly so much as does Gartner, whose main thesis is supported by dramatic anecdotes rather than by a lot of hard science.
Bookmarks Magazine
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In three controversial if well-received books, Jamison previously examined manic depression, bipolar personality disorder, suicide, and their relation to creativity. Exuberance, which explores the biological and evolutionary roots of happiness, switches gears. Jamison approaches her subject by offering up diverse case studies, from animals to the accomplishments of writers, politicians, and scientists. While entertaining and informative (few scientists study happiness), her unflagging exuberance
...more
Context and analysis on positive mood and passion. Chewy, verdant, wild and dense, like all of her books. She suffers from an extreme case of bipolar, and you can tell that many of her books are conceived and written at the height of controlled mania. It lends them a scope, a degree of lateral thinking, an inclusiveness that's pleasing and a little overwhelming. I tend to walk away from her books, including this one, with a deeper knowledge of
history, poetry, or literature. This book is pa...more
history, poetry, or literature. This book is pa...more
A fresh approach to history, tracing the life stories of luminaries based on their joy. The book feels animated by the same sense of wonder that propelled many of its subjects to creative discoveries and great accomplishments.
Jamison points out the etymological difference between "enthusiasm" and "exuberance"--one is a divine inspiration found inside, the other is a fertile overflow that is transmitted to others. She quotes Winston Churchill as having said, "...more
Jamison points out the etymological difference between "enthusiasm" and "exuberance"--one is a divine inspiration found inside, the other is a fertile overflow that is transmitted to others. She quotes Winston Churchill as having said, "...more
A nicely researched survey of man's inherent desire to capture and retain exuberance. Jamison discusses the various means some of us use to preserve the often fleeting joys of exuberance experienced in our youth, and describes some particularly vibrant individuals for whom exuberance is a natural and integral component of their personalities. She highlights the productive capacity of exuberance to propel ideas forward into action, but also explores the connection between exuberance and depressio...more
The pages of this book manage to encapsulate the effervescence of a particular mood state: exuberance. Only someone as ebullient as those portrayed in her haphazard vignettes could describe them with such vigor and beauty. As harped on throughout its pages, exuberance is extremely contagious. However, in my opinion, the limiting factor to this is the reader’s current mood/state of mind. One day Jamison’s excitement will transmit like electricity, and another day shrink your ego with the stark co...more
After having read Dr. Jamison's autobiographical work, "An Unquiet Mind", I was let down by this book. Her unique personal voice in An Unquiet Mind was not found in "Exuberance".There were a few gems such as quotes from Muir, but basically it was a listing of famous people in different phases of exuberance. I wish her love of her own words, her own life and illness would have come bursting through these pages as exuberantly as it did in her amazing work on her own bipolar dis...more
I liked this book, against the odds. Some in-depth discussion of the correlation (causation?) between exuberance, mania, and creativity. Interesting treatment of scientific genius and passion for discovery, adventure, and the mysterious. Great section on teaching, how the best teachers are exuberant and committed to their subject matter. Neat data on brain activity and creativity. A bit of a dark ending, wherein manic-depression is detailed, but brought to the fore in a yin-yang kind of arg...more
If, like me, you're weary of the never-ending depressing news these days, you might find respite, even delight in this wide-ranging account of people who lived authentic lives. People like John Muir, Wilson Bentley, Robert Louis Stevenson ... people whose lives were informed by passion, energy, and, at times, wisdom. While I found myself skimming some chapters, I was often surprised by joy, especially with the many wonderful quotes.
In parts I felt exuberance, but there was something a little forced about the essay form in digging for examples of exuberance, maybe a little less than exuberant at times. It is certainly a worthwhile read, though.
The glosses of description of the aspects of exuberance (from personal experience and clinical research) are the most worthwhile aspect.
The glosses of description of the aspects of exuberance (from personal experience and clinical research) are the most worthwhile aspect.
5 Exuberant Stars. Ha ha.
I couldn't believe how quickly I read this--the draw is largely owed to Jamison's clever way of cycling through men/women of various disciplines to highlight their forms of and views on exuberance. This is a feel-good book masquerading as a scientific book...but worth a read!
I couldn't believe how quickly I read this--the draw is largely owed to Jamison's clever way of cycling through men/women of various disciplines to highlight their forms of and views on exuberance. This is a feel-good book masquerading as a scientific book...but worth a read!
Kay Jamison is a psychiatrist who has published a great deal , much of it on manic depression or bipolar disorder, which she struggles with herself. She is a wonderful advocate for mental illness. This book tells of the upside, the creativity and contributions of the controlled manic, or hypothymic.
What a breath of fresh and exhilerating air to read of a discussion and study of a positive psychological trait. The only problem is it gets a little too scholarly and wordy in places but very worthwhile especially where my heros like Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln are discussed.
I listened to this as an audiobook from the library, but may have to buy a copy of this just to mark up, highlight, and underline. There are more fantastic quotes in this book than i could have imagined. Actually will end up buying it because its really that good.
Do you ever wonder why some people seem "happier" than others? Some people are psychologically more inclined to be happy, to find excitement and joy in the small details of life, to see the world through bright "rose colored glasses", and this book explores these personality traits in detail. The author is a prominent psychologist, and draws on her valuable experience...In this country anti-depressants are among the most common drugs and rising. What if we were able to pick o...more
Had to struggle to get through it. Just never captured my interest. Was that because my psychiatrist recommended it to me? I guess he thought I needed more passion in my life. But this book didn't do it.
Insightful.
One of my favorite quotes, speaking about a well known exuberant
individual, "Life for Theodore Roosevelt, said one friend, was the "unpacking of endless Christmas stockings."
One of my favorite quotes, speaking about a well known exuberant
individual, "Life for Theodore Roosevelt, said one friend, was the "unpacking of endless Christmas stockings."
I'm giving this no stars because "didn't like it" doesn't cut it. I really hated this book or at least the 30 or so pages I read before ditching it on the G train.
Most of her books are in my pc collection with the exception of the suicide one which I gave to a friend
The premise is interesting though it can become tedious in its inclusion of research and documentation.
Amazing reminder to add play to the schedule and how much better life is for those that do.
After reading An Unquiet Mind, Exuberance was a no-brainer to pick up. Glad I did.
cool exploration of the emotion and concept of Exuberance, enthusiasm, passion...
This is FABULOUS!
She had some interesting stories about famous "exuberant" people, some very disturbing stories about exuberant soldiers, and fascinating facts about how it shows up in the brain. I wished she had more about how to encourage/control what she called exuberance.
I decided to buy this book when i picked it up in a bookstore, opened it up and read the quote "playing is serious business." I thought to myself, hm, this could be my type of book. She usually writes about depression and that sort of thing, but this time she decided to write about the other side of the coin and it was pretty fun. She focuses on zestful, playful and passionate people throughout history and tries to find what makes them tick.
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Kay Redfield Jamison is an American clinical psychologist and writer who is one of the foremost experts on bipolar disorder. She is Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and is an Honorary Professor of English at the University of St Andrews.
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