What do you think?
Rate this book
Sane New World: Taming The Mind
Comedian, writer and mental health campaigner shows us why and how our minds can send us mad and how we can rewire our thinking, especially through mindfulness, to calm ourselves in a frenetic world. Ruby Wax - comedian, writer and mental health campaigner - shows us how our minds can jeopardize our sanity. With her own periods of depression and now a Masters from Oxford in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy to draw from, she explains how our busy, chattering, self-critical thoughts drive us to anxiety and stress. If we are to break the cycle, we need to understand how our brains work, rewire our thinking and find calm in a frenetic world. Helping you become the master, not the slave, of your mind, here is the manual to saner living
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
539 people are currently reading
6860 people want to read
About the author
Ruby Wax
34 books307 followersRuby Wax arrived in Britain in 1977 to pursue an acting career. She says "I really could never find my niche. I was a terrible actress, I couldn't sing, I couldn't do characters, I couldn't do an English accent and I lived in England, so I was narrowing it down".
She met French and Saunders at a party and worked alongside them a number of times, on television in Happy Families, at charity events such as Hysteria and notably the sitcom Girls on Top. Ruby played Shelley Dupont, a stereotypically loud American dying for a career in show-business. Not a huge hit, Girls on Top nevertheless gave the trio the chance to find their feet in comedy.
Ruby eventually got a chat show after drunkenly interviewing Michael Grade (who was head of Channel 4 at the time) in a tent at the Edinburgh festival. She subsequently made a range of programmes, many revolving around her as an interviewer. Her popularity in terms of comedy came from her interviewing technique: she was always forthright, brash and loud, conforming to the British stereotype of an American. Her physical appearance matched this image, with red hair and blood-red lipstick.
In 2002 Ruby Wax wrote her memoir, How Do You Want Me?, which became a bestseller.
Her 2010 stand-up show Losing It deals with her experience of bipolar disorder. She founded Black Dog Tribe in 2011 in response to the audience reaction from her theatre show. In September 2013, she graduated from Kellogg College at Oxford University with a master's degree in mindfulness based cognitive therapy. She had previously earned a postgraduate certificate in psychotherapy and counselling from Regents College in London.
These days she promotes understanding of the brain and campaigns for greater mental health awareness and destigmatisation.
- summarised from Dawn French Online, Wikipedia and her website
She met French and Saunders at a party and worked alongside them a number of times, on television in Happy Families, at charity events such as Hysteria and notably the sitcom Girls on Top. Ruby played Shelley Dupont, a stereotypically loud American dying for a career in show-business. Not a huge hit, Girls on Top nevertheless gave the trio the chance to find their feet in comedy.
Ruby eventually got a chat show after drunkenly interviewing Michael Grade (who was head of Channel 4 at the time) in a tent at the Edinburgh festival. She subsequently made a range of programmes, many revolving around her as an interviewer. Her popularity in terms of comedy came from her interviewing technique: she was always forthright, brash and loud, conforming to the British stereotype of an American. Her physical appearance matched this image, with red hair and blood-red lipstick.
In 2002 Ruby Wax wrote her memoir, How Do You Want Me?, which became a bestseller.
Her 2010 stand-up show Losing It deals with her experience of bipolar disorder. She founded Black Dog Tribe in 2011 in response to the audience reaction from her theatre show. In September 2013, she graduated from Kellogg College at Oxford University with a master's degree in mindfulness based cognitive therapy. She had previously earned a postgraduate certificate in psychotherapy and counselling from Regents College in London.
These days she promotes understanding of the brain and campaigns for greater mental health awareness and destigmatisation.
- summarised from Dawn French Online, Wikipedia and her website
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 452 reviews
May 20, 2015
I got a lot from this book. I was rather churlishly expecting some descriptions of light neurosis, followed by a collection celebrity soundbites about how to make things better. In fact that was not too far from what we got....except Ruby obviously has suffered from real depression, not only in terms of her hospitalizations, but in terms of her extreme emotions and mood swings. She speaks about these things with a moving honesty, but also sometimes very funnily.
When Ruby's career as a comedian came to an end (and she speaks openly about the feelings of loss around that), she trained as a psychotherapist. She did 200 of the 400 hours of psychotherapy that is needed to qualify - but decided to drop out after 200 hours. She was finding the amount of distress she was having to deal with from her clients a bit too much.
She then went on to Oxford University to study Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy with Professor Mark Williams. He is one of the founders of this therapy, and the idea of neuroplasticity - the idea that you can change your mind and you can change how you think.
This book basically has five themes:
Ruby's experience of depression.
How the brain works.
Cognitive Therapy.
Research showing the surprising power of mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness (which is very similar to meditation.)
When I said earlier and rather rudely, that I was expecting sound bites - this is in fact what the book gives you. A wonderfully logical and easy series of short pieces - often with simple diagrams - explaining the brain, negative patterns of thinking, and giving mindfulness exercises.
It was incredibly easy to read and understand. I kept picking up the book at odd moments during the day - and I finished it very quickly.
Most of all I was bowled over with the research cited concerning the effectiveness of mindfulness. It seems an incredibly powerful tool for improving a whole range of conditions - mental and physical. Here is just one example.
But lots of examples are given. I cannot stress enough what a strong tool for well-being mindfulness would appear to be. It also starts working quickly. Even beginners can feel the benefits of it after two or three sessions.
There seem to be two types of mindfulness exercises.
My efforts at meditation in the past have never been very successful - I'm a rather twitchy and 'doing' sort of person, but after reading this book I'm determined to give mindfulness a try. It really would seem to be an enormously beneficial practice. I'm grateful to Ruby for making it (and the theory behind it), so accessible.
When Ruby's career as a comedian came to an end (and she speaks openly about the feelings of loss around that), she trained as a psychotherapist. She did 200 of the 400 hours of psychotherapy that is needed to qualify - but decided to drop out after 200 hours. She was finding the amount of distress she was having to deal with from her clients a bit too much.
She then went on to Oxford University to study Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy with Professor Mark Williams. He is one of the founders of this therapy, and the idea of neuroplasticity - the idea that you can change your mind and you can change how you think.
This book basically has five themes:
Ruby's experience of depression.
How the brain works.
Cognitive Therapy.
Research showing the surprising power of mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness (which is very similar to meditation.)
When I said earlier and rather rudely, that I was expecting sound bites - this is in fact what the book gives you. A wonderfully logical and easy series of short pieces - often with simple diagrams - explaining the brain, negative patterns of thinking, and giving mindfulness exercises.
It was incredibly easy to read and understand. I kept picking up the book at odd moments during the day - and I finished it very quickly.
Most of all I was bowled over with the research cited concerning the effectiveness of mindfulness. It seems an incredibly powerful tool for improving a whole range of conditions - mental and physical. Here is just one example.
But lots of examples are given. I cannot stress enough what a strong tool for well-being mindfulness would appear to be. It also starts working quickly. Even beginners can feel the benefits of it after two or three sessions.
There seem to be two types of mindfulness exercises.
My efforts at meditation in the past have never been very successful - I'm a rather twitchy and 'doing' sort of person, but after reading this book I'm determined to give mindfulness a try. It really would seem to be an enormously beneficial practice. I'm grateful to Ruby for making it (and the theory behind it), so accessible.
February 12, 2015
I'm a little surprised about all of the high ratings for the book. I recently reached the halfway mark in the book after forcing myself to continue to read it after even a quarter of the way through. This book is full of opinions and unfortunately, they are not very good ones. In addition to being rampant with generalizations, the author attempts to force jokes onto every page. The paragraph that made me close the book for good was:
"When you're building up clusters of neurons by habitually moving certain parts of your body, it's like building muscles when you pump iron. In both cases the movement gets easier and more automatic because that area gets stronger. Of course, neural exercise doesn't give you bigger pecs or a six-pack, so you have to choose brain or brawn. It's very rare to have both. (See Arnold Schwarzenegger.)"
She does not cite any outside sources for any of the information she discusses and does not explain any of the topics in depth. I was disappointed with this book and truly wonder how it is an international bestseller.
"When you're building up clusters of neurons by habitually moving certain parts of your body, it's like building muscles when you pump iron. In both cases the movement gets easier and more automatic because that area gets stronger. Of course, neural exercise doesn't give you bigger pecs or a six-pack, so you have to choose brain or brawn. It's very rare to have both. (See Arnold Schwarzenegger.)"
She does not cite any outside sources for any of the information she discusses and does not explain any of the topics in depth. I was disappointed with this book and truly wonder how it is an international bestseller.
September 29, 2013
AN EPIPHANY. If you suffer with or have regular contact with someone who has depression then this book is the detailed souvenir guide book. She describes exactly what a wily, manipulative, all consuming, destructive bastard depression is. Then explains how by practicing mindfulness (or trying to) you can manage the black dogs. Either a good place to start with forming a plan or a reference book for when the black clouds start rolling in. CBT, drugs, mindfulness, exercise and support- there's actually hope. Thank fuck for that!!!
August 28, 2014
I was really surprised to see so many good reviews of this book. I write this as I have just reached 50% and have moved it to my 'abandoned' shelf.
I wouldn't have read the book if I didn't think the topic was an important one, but the flippancy with which it's handled is irritating. Many reviewers have said Ruby makes this topic 'accessible', whereas I found myself learning a lot more about the person writing the book than its supposed subject.
I wouldn't have read the book if I didn't think the topic was an important one, but the flippancy with which it's handled is irritating. Many reviewers have said Ruby makes this topic 'accessible', whereas I found myself learning a lot more about the person writing the book than its supposed subject.
July 3, 2016
Hilarious!
(Q)
People ask me if I’m busy, I tell them, ‘I’m so busy I’ve had two heart attacks’. They congratulate me on this achievement. (c)
(Q)
Have you read The Secret? I didn’t read it but I know 80 million copies were sold. I did read page one, which informs you that ‘the secret’ was handed down to us by the ancient Babylonians and clearly it worked for them; that’s why there’s so many running around, you can’t move for all the Babylonians living in London. (c)
(Q)
On the toilet no one is a star. Remember that and you will go far in life. (c)
(Q)
If everyone’s a consultant, who is left needing one? (c)
(Q)
We confuse bravery with bravura. ... That person isn’t brave, he’s nuts. And these speakers are starting to get competitive; apparently someone has claimed he climbed Mount Everest using only his nostrils. (c)
(Q)
(Q)
People ask me if I’m busy, I tell them, ‘I’m so busy I’ve had two heart attacks’. They congratulate me on this achievement. (c)
(Q)
Have you read The Secret? I didn’t read it but I know 80 million copies were sold. I did read page one, which informs you that ‘the secret’ was handed down to us by the ancient Babylonians and clearly it worked for them; that’s why there’s so many running around, you can’t move for all the Babylonians living in London. (c)
(Q)
On the toilet no one is a star. Remember that and you will go far in life. (c)
(Q)
If everyone’s a consultant, who is left needing one? (c)
(Q)
We confuse bravery with bravura. ... That person isn’t brave, he’s nuts. And these speakers are starting to get competitive; apparently someone has claimed he climbed Mount Everest using only his nostrils. (c)
(Q)
May 29, 2017
Ruby Wax became famous (in the U.K. at least) for being a loud, bright, borderline cruel comedienne. She was quite a fixture on our TVs for many years, from early days appearing in the underrated 'Girls on Top' sitcom (which an ancient Joan Greenwood stole week after week in her bit-role as the grand, acid landlady who lived downstairs) to her later appearances as a loud-American interviewer parody of herself. I suspect a nadir was interviewing Sarah Fergusson in those toe-sucking days. Ruby was the type of host that would make you wince when it came to the line of her questioning.
Anyway Ruby's career stalled and she got mad. Really mad. Asylum mad. And this book is the culmination of the years she spent turning her life around.
Ruby had always suffered from depression like so many comedians and clowns. The honesty with which she shares her story is powerful. It also rings little bells, for it is about the complications we face coping in the modern world with pre-historic brains not evolved to be capable of garnering enough happiness from the absurd times in which we live.
It’s not a perfect book by any stretch of the imagination. For a woman who did a superlative job of editing Absolutely Fabulous I was surprised by weaknesses in that department in this book. It came across a little sloppy at times although I appreciate trying to condense science, comedy and life story into what is quite a short book is a bit of an ask. Certainly elements of the author’s cruel humour is a strange fit when it comes to the subject of mental illness. There is a questionable flippancy at work that is totally Wax.
What struck me most when reading the book was that while the author had seemed, to my English sensibilities, to go too far in her TV interviews, it was undoubtedly herself she was rough-riding the hardest. We are all a jumble of our own unique cocktail of complexes. This book attempts to be a readable manual to help us be, chiefly, more mindful- although it does offer many alternatives for different souls. It was a timely reminder for me because I have done mindfulness a number of times when really I should just BE mindful once and for all. And so far since reading this book I have had a few mindful days... I am particularly pleased to be reminded to see novelty everywhere I go. It's what we did as kids, after all, and that level of enquiry and involvement can only be good. I mean so far I have noticed all the dust in my house and the two sane people who were walking in Glastonbury today- things I would usually miss.
Anyway Ruby's career stalled and she got mad. Really mad. Asylum mad. And this book is the culmination of the years she spent turning her life around.
Ruby had always suffered from depression like so many comedians and clowns. The honesty with which she shares her story is powerful. It also rings little bells, for it is about the complications we face coping in the modern world with pre-historic brains not evolved to be capable of garnering enough happiness from the absurd times in which we live.
It’s not a perfect book by any stretch of the imagination. For a woman who did a superlative job of editing Absolutely Fabulous I was surprised by weaknesses in that department in this book. It came across a little sloppy at times although I appreciate trying to condense science, comedy and life story into what is quite a short book is a bit of an ask. Certainly elements of the author’s cruel humour is a strange fit when it comes to the subject of mental illness. There is a questionable flippancy at work that is totally Wax.
What struck me most when reading the book was that while the author had seemed, to my English sensibilities, to go too far in her TV interviews, it was undoubtedly herself she was rough-riding the hardest. We are all a jumble of our own unique cocktail of complexes. This book attempts to be a readable manual to help us be, chiefly, more mindful- although it does offer many alternatives for different souls. It was a timely reminder for me because I have done mindfulness a number of times when really I should just BE mindful once and for all. And so far since reading this book I have had a few mindful days... I am particularly pleased to be reminded to see novelty everywhere I go. It's what we did as kids, after all, and that level of enquiry and involvement can only be good. I mean so far I have noticed all the dust in my house and the two sane people who were walking in Glastonbury today- things I would usually miss.
April 18, 2016
I'm really surprised at how many positive reviews there are for this book - I have to say now I am not in agreement with general consensus. I can't remember why I bought this book (possibly because one of my friends gave it a high rating on GoodReads) but it has been sat gathering proverbial dust on my Kindle shelves for awhile, and became part of 'clean up Kindle' project.
The level of actual neuroscience in this book is fairly basic, and I have read better elsewhere. One of the things people highlighted is that it is accessible; personally, I found myself unable to relate to a lot of what Wax speaks about. She makes sweeping generalisations: 'we all feel...', but this felt very presumptuous. I don't, for example, share her burning jealousy for people around me. Similarly, my ambitious drive is not as strong as hers.
So, maybe this book just isn't right for me? Maybe, but I had other issues with it as well. Her need to insert jokes and puns felt awkward rather than amusing, and some of her comments broached into really inappropriate. Comedians, of course, are always towing this line (where else does humour come from?) but she seemed almost homophobic at times. Her flippancy towards some issues was also uncomfortable for me: it's good to make light of things, but not to the point where people feel belittled.
Overall, it is wonderful to see someone so clearly enthusiastic and benefitting from mindfulness, but being famous does not automatically make her a suitable candidate to write a book about it.
The level of actual neuroscience in this book is fairly basic, and I have read better elsewhere. One of the things people highlighted is that it is accessible; personally, I found myself unable to relate to a lot of what Wax speaks about. She makes sweeping generalisations: 'we all feel...', but this felt very presumptuous. I don't, for example, share her burning jealousy for people around me. Similarly, my ambitious drive is not as strong as hers.
So, maybe this book just isn't right for me? Maybe, but I had other issues with it as well. Her need to insert jokes and puns felt awkward rather than amusing, and some of her comments broached into really inappropriate. Comedians, of course, are always towing this line (where else does humour come from?) but she seemed almost homophobic at times. Her flippancy towards some issues was also uncomfortable for me: it's good to make light of things, but not to the point where people feel belittled.
Overall, it is wonderful to see someone so clearly enthusiastic and benefitting from mindfulness, but being famous does not automatically make her a suitable candidate to write a book about it.
April 10, 2015
I’ll go into detail later but I want to mention one fact right away; the gold at the end of the rainbow is that YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND AND HOW YOU THINK. This is called neuroplasticity. Your genes, hormones, regions in the brain and early learning do not necessarily determine your fate.If you don't have even a slight sense of gallows humour about your depression, this is not a book for you.
If you expect an introduction to mindfulness, you will also be disappointed; this is a why-to, not a how-to book. It simply recommends, in one sentence, taking an eight-week course in mindfulness (you can also find a few good free, no-registration courses online), and gives you some exercises.
What is does is to explain the brain processes behind feeling shitty about oneself with precision and clarity; if rational arguments work for you, this book can really be a lifeline. Also, it finally convinced me to start studying mindfulness, as opposed to numerous books and articles I've read over the last three years, so this *is* something.
September 15, 2014
I read this book because of Robin Williams' decision to kill himself. I wanted to understand how the mind could push anyone that far into despair. None of us is meant to become a slave, let alone of one's own mind. But the mind is like a wild animal and can slowly become anyone's master. 'You have to send this email', 'You have to meet this deadline' etc. Sounds familiar? We feel bad if we don't do what our mind tells us to do but if we do it all the time then life becomes nothing more than a to do list. Textbook catch-22. Do yourself a favour: stop doing whatever you are doing once in a while. Just STOP.
Ghandi said 'there is more to life than speed'. He didn't say what tough... How are we supposed to react to global disasters aired on TV? Are we expected to go there and help? If not, what's the whole point of telling us in the first place? Honestly, how do you feel about Iraq, Syria, Ukraine? We live in a fog of facts and it's hard to pay attention to anything for more than 30 seconds in our busy lives. What's more, many of us want to change the world but most of us do not want to change ourselves...
... or can't because our brain is full of chemicals triggering emotions. 'We are our own walking pharmacy', the author says. The reason why girls want more shoes and guys fast cars is because of a chemical in our brain called dopamine. Each time we get something, we reward ourselves with an injection of it and that feels good, it's a kick, a real high. Chemicals are to a large extent driving our behaviour. It's the craving of dopamine that makes us want more, not the shoes; endorphins give us that 'houhou' feeling if we run long enough; as for testosterone, it has lots of sex but no brain...
Luckily, the book tells how we can overwrite the mind. Only two options (suicide isn't one): anti depressants or 'mindfulness'. The former are still a mystery... they work but what do they do to the millions of neurons we have? The latter is by far the preferred option. 'Mindfulness' is witnessing what's happening and standing back without judgement and the usual negative criticism. Thoughts are not who you are, nor are they facts and the mind should be your servant, not your master.
The problem is what emotions make us do. Let's take an example: fear. Uncertainty is most people's biggest fear, that's why we tend to lock ourselves in a box, professionally and personally. The author explains how some women keep picking the 'bad guy' type. They know the pain is inevitably coming and feel they can somehow comfort themselves by continuing to be that person who is fuming at how bad all guys are. Ruby Wax says this type of scenario can last a lifetime. It wouldn't if we remembered that we will all die down the road. It's dark I know but thinking of death is the best way to accomplish big things in life, achieve what's really important to us. 'What's wrong with me?' Look, it's simple: there is nothing wrong with you, or me, or any of us; we just are. Of course the mind might disagree and since it always wants an explanation, the best is to concentrate on the area of pain and describe it, feel it. Just like Freud said 'you have to bring your darkness into the light before you can get better', it's all about acceptance. It's like imagining watching your thoughts on a cinema screen. And it works: studies led by top US universities show that mindfulness reduces sensitivity to pain and helps eradicating addictions too.
To conclude, if there was only one takeaway, it would be this: be nice with yourself, forgive yourself, let yourself off the hook once in a while, shut down those internal voices saying that you envy someone else's life or that you are not good enough. You are GREAT.
(Sydney, September 2014)
Ghandi said 'there is more to life than speed'. He didn't say what tough... How are we supposed to react to global disasters aired on TV? Are we expected to go there and help? If not, what's the whole point of telling us in the first place? Honestly, how do you feel about Iraq, Syria, Ukraine? We live in a fog of facts and it's hard to pay attention to anything for more than 30 seconds in our busy lives. What's more, many of us want to change the world but most of us do not want to change ourselves...
... or can't because our brain is full of chemicals triggering emotions. 'We are our own walking pharmacy', the author says. The reason why girls want more shoes and guys fast cars is because of a chemical in our brain called dopamine. Each time we get something, we reward ourselves with an injection of it and that feels good, it's a kick, a real high. Chemicals are to a large extent driving our behaviour. It's the craving of dopamine that makes us want more, not the shoes; endorphins give us that 'houhou' feeling if we run long enough; as for testosterone, it has lots of sex but no brain...
Luckily, the book tells how we can overwrite the mind. Only two options (suicide isn't one): anti depressants or 'mindfulness'. The former are still a mystery... they work but what do they do to the millions of neurons we have? The latter is by far the preferred option. 'Mindfulness' is witnessing what's happening and standing back without judgement and the usual negative criticism. Thoughts are not who you are, nor are they facts and the mind should be your servant, not your master.
The problem is what emotions make us do. Let's take an example: fear. Uncertainty is most people's biggest fear, that's why we tend to lock ourselves in a box, professionally and personally. The author explains how some women keep picking the 'bad guy' type. They know the pain is inevitably coming and feel they can somehow comfort themselves by continuing to be that person who is fuming at how bad all guys are. Ruby Wax says this type of scenario can last a lifetime. It wouldn't if we remembered that we will all die down the road. It's dark I know but thinking of death is the best way to accomplish big things in life, achieve what's really important to us. 'What's wrong with me?' Look, it's simple: there is nothing wrong with you, or me, or any of us; we just are. Of course the mind might disagree and since it always wants an explanation, the best is to concentrate on the area of pain and describe it, feel it. Just like Freud said 'you have to bring your darkness into the light before you can get better', it's all about acceptance. It's like imagining watching your thoughts on a cinema screen. And it works: studies led by top US universities show that mindfulness reduces sensitivity to pain and helps eradicating addictions too.
To conclude, if there was only one takeaway, it would be this: be nice with yourself, forgive yourself, let yourself off the hook once in a while, shut down those internal voices saying that you envy someone else's life or that you are not good enough. You are GREAT.
(Sydney, September 2014)
September 15, 2013
Hmmm…a book on taming the mind written by a comedian. This could be interesting, I thought. In the first few pages I began to worry that the author, Ruby Wax, was going to treat mental illness with sarcasm, or belittle it; but as I continued, and as I read about her direct experience of depression, my concern turned to admiration. It’s a fantastic book particularly for anyone who has ever wanted to take control of the endless blah blah blah of our thoughts, and also wants to know the science behind it all.
The text doesn’t just focus on the problem; the last part of the book provides one solution through the practice of mindfulness, and includes some very easy exercises to start learning it. I particularly admired Wax’s courageous willingness to share her personal journey with depression.
As a regular meditator I can attest to the emotional calming effect of daily meditation, mindfulness, and exercise helps too. They have certainly helped tame many of my own demons. (as the author points out, meditation and exercise are incredibly beneficial, but for some reason they’re difficult to do for most people. “I don’t have time to……exercise / meditate / eat mindfully”)
Also, gotta love a particular quote: “novelty creates neurons”. You’ll know what that means after you’ve read the book. Enjoy!
The text doesn’t just focus on the problem; the last part of the book provides one solution through the practice of mindfulness, and includes some very easy exercises to start learning it. I particularly admired Wax’s courageous willingness to share her personal journey with depression.
As a regular meditator I can attest to the emotional calming effect of daily meditation, mindfulness, and exercise helps too. They have certainly helped tame many of my own demons. (as the author points out, meditation and exercise are incredibly beneficial, but for some reason they’re difficult to do for most people. “I don’t have time to……exercise / meditate / eat mindfully”)
Also, gotta love a particular quote: “novelty creates neurons”. You’ll know what that means after you’ve read the book. Enjoy!
August 28, 2014
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.
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.
May 30, 2017
Didn't work for me at all. I thought it would be more about the subject and less about the author, but it wasn't. The second half is dedicated to mindfulness techniques, for people who want to learn these. Otherwise give this a miss.
January 19, 2015
I'd give this 2.5 if I could. It's a big hot mess of memoir, neurology, psychology and mindfulness textbook. Wax's writing style really grates at times, with constant 'witty' asides, plus there's some casual homophobia in there that really ought to have been edited out (references to "the gays" and references to "lesbians and their cats" in lieu of marriages. come on) alongside default male pronouns. Sheesh.
Basically, a tighter edit of this book would have improved it no end and made it a bit more focused, something it lacks, ironically enough.
However, underneath all these flaws are some fascinating ideas about how our minds work, and it is chock full of genuinely useful exercises to try mindfulness for yourself which I will refer back to.
Wax's enthusiasm for neurology is infectious and makes the subject come alive, so this book would make a good starting point for anyone unfamiliar with mindfulness.
Her descriptions of what depression is like are fantastic, so I'd also recommend this book to carers and allies of those with MH problems.
Basically, a tighter edit of this book would have improved it no end and made it a bit more focused, something it lacks, ironically enough.
However, underneath all these flaws are some fascinating ideas about how our minds work, and it is chock full of genuinely useful exercises to try mindfulness for yourself which I will refer back to.
Wax's enthusiasm for neurology is infectious and makes the subject come alive, so this book would make a good starting point for anyone unfamiliar with mindfulness.
Her descriptions of what depression is like are fantastic, so I'd also recommend this book to carers and allies of those with MH problems.
July 31, 2014
This was so awful I couldn't even force myself to read up to 30% which is my minimum before quitting a book. So much glorification of 'simpler times' when we were happier and 'aren't animals so happy in their ignorance of awareness'. I couldn't take this seriously with so much bullshit in it. I wanted to like this, I even laughed a few times but no, just no.
I tried skipping ahead to see if it improved but it did not seem to get better.
I tried skipping ahead to see if it improved but it did not seem to get better.
September 3, 2014
Reading this book in the midst of a deep depression was the wrong time to do so. I feel I may have enjoyed it more had I not been in such a bad place myself. Starting this book expecting to gather coping mechanisms I came away disappointed. In my opinion I found the authors recalling of her own experiences a little self indulgent and detracted from the more informative technical aspects found elsewhere. I found a couple of useful techniques I can use, and do so on a daily basis, but came away after reading this book with a sense of wanting more information and less attempts at humour. I have read other books in this vein that I enjoyed more and others that I found more informative.
September 23, 2013
If you've not encountered how mindfulness techniques can help with depression before, this book by Ruby Wax is a good place to start. It explains the concepts simply and wittily, and provides useful exercises at the end to help put the theory into practice.
I found the second chapter - 'For the Normal-Mad' - superfluous (it seemed a case of stating the obvious to me) but still I'd recommend the book overall, especially if you're down. The short chapters make it easy to digest when concentration is poor (often a side effect of depression) and Ruby's willingness to expose her own vulnerabilities makes it feel as if you're in the company of a good friend as you read.
There are, it's true, other more fulsome books on mindfulness out there (I'd recommend 'The Mindful Way through Depression' by Williams, Teasdale, Segal and Kabat-Zinn if it's detail you're after) and there are more searing accounts of going through breakdown too (I'd cite Sally Brampton's 'Shoot The Damn Dog' and Gwynneth Lewis's 'Sunbathing in the Rain' as two of the best I've come across) but they don't detract from this book, which, as a cross between the two genres (part self-help tome, part memoir), aims to do something different.
Moreover, because Ruby Wax is a household name, there's every chance 'Sane New World' will find its way into the hands of people who might not otherwise read about depression, and that can be no bad thing. I have enormous respect for Ruby and admire what she's done (and continues to do) to raise awareness of mental illness. Indeed, as an aside, I'd go so far as to say the programmes she fronted for Channel 4 in 2012 acted as a source of inspiration to me personally. So thank you Ruby, for being brave enough to stand up and be a spokesperson for one in four; 'the Mad-Mad'. That takes even greater courage than stand-up comedy, and I'm sure I'm not alone in being grateful for your bravery.
I found the second chapter - 'For the Normal-Mad' - superfluous (it seemed a case of stating the obvious to me) but still I'd recommend the book overall, especially if you're down. The short chapters make it easy to digest when concentration is poor (often a side effect of depression) and Ruby's willingness to expose her own vulnerabilities makes it feel as if you're in the company of a good friend as you read.
There are, it's true, other more fulsome books on mindfulness out there (I'd recommend 'The Mindful Way through Depression' by Williams, Teasdale, Segal and Kabat-Zinn if it's detail you're after) and there are more searing accounts of going through breakdown too (I'd cite Sally Brampton's 'Shoot The Damn Dog' and Gwynneth Lewis's 'Sunbathing in the Rain' as two of the best I've come across) but they don't detract from this book, which, as a cross between the two genres (part self-help tome, part memoir), aims to do something different.
Moreover, because Ruby Wax is a household name, there's every chance 'Sane New World' will find its way into the hands of people who might not otherwise read about depression, and that can be no bad thing. I have enormous respect for Ruby and admire what she's done (and continues to do) to raise awareness of mental illness. Indeed, as an aside, I'd go so far as to say the programmes she fronted for Channel 4 in 2012 acted as a source of inspiration to me personally. So thank you Ruby, for being brave enough to stand up and be a spokesperson for one in four; 'the Mad-Mad'. That takes even greater courage than stand-up comedy, and I'm sure I'm not alone in being grateful for your bravery.
December 7, 2013
Ruby Wax – as might be expected – is an amusing writer. In this interesting guide book to the mind she intersperses her own experiences – frequently bad – with the knowledge she gained from going to university and gaining a Masters degree in mindfulness based cognitive behaviour therapy. Honesty and clarity make this in an excellent little book for anyone who wants to understand their own moods and feelings and to deal with and control them in a way which will help them live a more productive and saner life.
If you want to read a book which gives you the theory of neuroscience in accessible language and personal experience which helps to bring the theory to life then this is the book for you. There are two sections on self-help remedies – one section describes mindfulness techniques and the other describes alternative ways of dealing with stress, depression and other emotional problems.
The book is written in practical down to earth everyday language with plenty of humorous comments and asides. The author is not slow to laugh at her own thoughts and feelings either. The only thing which this book lacks is a bibliography/reading list but apart from that it is an excellent guide to the mind and the ways in which it can malfunction in everyday life.
If you want to read a book which gives you the theory of neuroscience in accessible language and personal experience which helps to bring the theory to life then this is the book for you. There are two sections on self-help remedies – one section describes mindfulness techniques and the other describes alternative ways of dealing with stress, depression and other emotional problems.
The book is written in practical down to earth everyday language with plenty of humorous comments and asides. The author is not slow to laugh at her own thoughts and feelings either. The only thing which this book lacks is a bibliography/reading list but apart from that it is an excellent guide to the mind and the ways in which it can malfunction in everyday life.
April 14, 2015
Pretty interesting read. Will need to talk about this in depth in a video but I found it really comforting to read about what is actually happening in the brain when your anxiety levels are high and what your brain is attempting to do. Some of her points were a little over dramatic (solving war and poverty with mindfulness? Really?) and a lot of over-generalization but I LOVED learning about the brain again - didn't realise how much I missed Psychology!
(Probably the most effective mindfulness book I've come across, so cheers for that Ruby Wax)
(Probably the most effective mindfulness book I've come across, so cheers for that Ruby Wax)
November 22, 2013
An eye opening insight into how depression and anxiety works within the brain and body. I've had few epiphanies in my life but this but was definitely one. A must read for anyone with any kind of mental illness, from depression to anxiety or even someone who just wants to bring the practice of mindfulness into their daily lives. Easy to follow exercises mixed with personal stories of Wax's with a few funny musings thrown in, make it an absorbing read.
December 20, 2014
I really cannot believe it's a best seller. I found nothing to take from the book. There's a very looooong intro on how the author came to write this book, etc. I was really bored and i decided nit to spend any more time on this book, sorry but it was super shallow. I've rread so much better on the subject.
June 23, 2013
A helpful book with background information on how our brain/mind works and how we can learn to master it to help keep conditions like anxiety and depression under control. Having Ruby's humorous asides and own personal story shared throughout made it easy to read.
January 10, 2024
One of the most beautiful books that I had read. Funny, amusing, scientifically accurate, and taught me a lot about mindfulness.
The author is a comedian (hence reading the book makes you laugh especially when she puts the comments after the scientific sentence).
I learnt a lot about the brain. I didn’t know that our memories are not placed in one position but it’s scattered around our brain parts. Also I didn’t know that mindfulness makes our blood pressure drop besides all the other benefits.
The book is a gift from a dear friend and I wish everyone would read it. She found out that I am practicing yoga and meditation and thought maybe this will help. And then I found out that even with exercise I have to do only that. I mean normally I will be reading or watching TV with exercising . Now I have to change this habit.
From a mentally unhealthy person to a doctor from Oxford is a very impressive also being a comedian maybe has something to do with her long term anxiety.
Excerpts:
It’s our ability to regulate our attention, reduce our reactive nature, and cultivate positive emotions that points the way to health and happiness. If we can calmly observe our own habits of thinking clearly, we can see it in others and have greater empathy. Increasing the limited view of how we see our world and ourselves should be the next phase of human evolution; to extend the breadth of our consciousness and expand our range of choices. This will lead to appropriate alternatives, and we’ll be able to select each choice before we act on it. People who comprehend biological processes and make thoughtful choices shift from their self- centered world view to a much larger interconnected whole.
The author is a comedian (hence reading the book makes you laugh especially when she puts the comments after the scientific sentence).
I learnt a lot about the brain. I didn’t know that our memories are not placed in one position but it’s scattered around our brain parts. Also I didn’t know that mindfulness makes our blood pressure drop besides all the other benefits.
The book is a gift from a dear friend and I wish everyone would read it. She found out that I am practicing yoga and meditation and thought maybe this will help. And then I found out that even with exercise I have to do only that. I mean normally I will be reading or watching TV with exercising . Now I have to change this habit.
From a mentally unhealthy person to a doctor from Oxford is a very impressive also being a comedian maybe has something to do with her long term anxiety.
Excerpts:
It’s our ability to regulate our attention, reduce our reactive nature, and cultivate positive emotions that points the way to health and happiness. If we can calmly observe our own habits of thinking clearly, we can see it in others and have greater empathy. Increasing the limited view of how we see our world and ourselves should be the next phase of human evolution; to extend the breadth of our consciousness and expand our range of choices. This will lead to appropriate alternatives, and we’ll be able to select each choice before we act on it. People who comprehend biological processes and make thoughtful choices shift from their self- centered world view to a much larger interconnected whole.
May 18, 2022
The first two thirds of this, though slightly oversimplified in places, and missing slightly on the humour at points, I thought was very good. Having a little concern that I would find the on television slightly loud and abrasive Ruby Wax similarly difficult in written form, I was glad to be proven wrong. She writes frankly about mental health, about neuroscience in general, and then (in the final chapters, which I found less connection with) about mindfulness - and it's admirable. For all that I cannot really comment on the benefits of mindfulness, CBT, therapy, smelling the roses etc. if it works for some people that's great, and it didn't feel as otherworldly a conclusion to the book as some books aiming to help and provide guidance have felt. So yes, a worthwhile mixture of autobiography, self-help and popular science.
January 27, 2018
The neuroscience section lost me, but I think the author made it as accessible as it could be for someone like me who struggles with science. The rest of the book was an easier read, and I think Ruby Wax did a very good job of conveying what mindfulness is and why it's important. I have read a lot of books and articles about mindfulness, so a lot of the content felt very familiar. However, I'm sure it would have a very powerful impact on someone who was new to the topic. However, for me, the best introduction to mindfulness is Get some headspace by Andy Puddicombe.
June 6, 2020
Wax calls this a Manual, but it is more Neurology for Dummies, together with how mindfulness can help your health and brain. There are lots of activities of how to engage in mindfulness. The message at the end (understanding one’s reality isn’t another person’s and if you limit yourself to your narrow world view you’ll become narrower and bitter and judgemental) is something that leaders like Trump need to learn.
October 21, 2022
I believe that this book is helpfull only for middle-aged people who don't (wrongly in my opinion) take medicine for their depression or other mental health issues and don't want for some strange reason to go to proper therapy. Therefore you will like it only if you want to have a one way conversation with a middle-aged person who decided to study some topics to solve her problems (i doents work like that but anyway) and has a sense of "humor". If you are a young person there are plenty of better books to read about this topic dont read this one
June 25, 2015
I originally started this back late last year and I have finally gotten round to finishing it, not because the book was bad or anything, but because my mind simply wasn't in the right mode to pick up a book and read. That being said, I am so glad I finally finished this book as the later chapters definitely helped aid me in recovery and finding out what my mind is all about.
Ruby Wax shares her struggle with anxiety, depression and just generalised worry in Sane New World: Taming The Mind, whilst teaching the readers how to control and analyse thoughts and feelings. It's humorous, realistic but also extremely easy to relate to at the same time. Throughout the book you learn about the art of Mindfullness, where you can successfully pick at your thoughts and coach yourself into thinking and feeling better.
As someone who suffers with clinical depression and anxiety, I wasn't too sure what to expect from this book as I tend to sly away from self help books or any advice-based books as they feed off the same generalised advice. However, I am really glad that I was given the opportunity to read this book! It was literally like having a CBT therapist with you in the room whilst being able to relate to everything, and you were able to shut them up by shutting the book. I feel like even those who haven't been diagnosed with such mental illness's could still enjoy this book thoroughly, as we all tackle everyday worry, stress and every one of us goes through phases of depression.
Ruby Wax shares her struggle with anxiety, depression and just generalised worry in Sane New World: Taming The Mind, whilst teaching the readers how to control and analyse thoughts and feelings. It's humorous, realistic but also extremely easy to relate to at the same time. Throughout the book you learn about the art of Mindfullness, where you can successfully pick at your thoughts and coach yourself into thinking and feeling better.
As someone who suffers with clinical depression and anxiety, I wasn't too sure what to expect from this book as I tend to sly away from self help books or any advice-based books as they feed off the same generalised advice. However, I am really glad that I was given the opportunity to read this book! It was literally like having a CBT therapist with you in the room whilst being able to relate to everything, and you were able to shut them up by shutting the book. I feel like even those who haven't been diagnosed with such mental illness's could still enjoy this book thoroughly, as we all tackle everyday worry, stress and every one of us goes through phases of depression.
April 8, 2016
This book tried to do too many things, and did them all badly.
I wasn't sure whether it was supposed to be a celebrity memoir, an anti self-help book, something educative on neuroscience, or a manual on mindfulness. Either way, I didn't enjoy any of those elements.
It was peppered throughout with casual racism & homophobia. There's probably a big difference between performing comedy and writing something which is funny - many of Ruby Wax's attempts just rang very hollow/forced, or far too offensive, without tone to mitigate.
The sciency bits felt simple, and I sometimes felt like the author didn't actually understand what she was writing about. There were sweeping assertions and no references, so it felt hard to trust the claims.
And then suddenly, at about 75% of the way through, the book turns into a very long list of mindfulness techniques, with no warning. All very repetitive.
I really don't know what was going on with this book and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Occasionally Ruby Wax is able to offer interesting insights from her own experience, but most of the time it feels like she lacks the self-perception, or interest in other humans, to be able to offer anything helpful to anyone else.
I wasn't sure whether it was supposed to be a celebrity memoir, an anti self-help book, something educative on neuroscience, or a manual on mindfulness. Either way, I didn't enjoy any of those elements.
It was peppered throughout with casual racism & homophobia. There's probably a big difference between performing comedy and writing something which is funny - many of Ruby Wax's attempts just rang very hollow/forced, or far too offensive, without tone to mitigate.
The sciency bits felt simple, and I sometimes felt like the author didn't actually understand what she was writing about. There were sweeping assertions and no references, so it felt hard to trust the claims.
And then suddenly, at about 75% of the way through, the book turns into a very long list of mindfulness techniques, with no warning. All very repetitive.
I really don't know what was going on with this book and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Occasionally Ruby Wax is able to offer interesting insights from her own experience, but most of the time it feels like she lacks the self-perception, or interest in other humans, to be able to offer anything helpful to anyone else.
September 15, 2013
Having been suffering with depression for the past year, I have begun looking for other ways to deal with my ruminating negative thoughts and those stressful times that left me in a weeping wreck in work meetings (has actually happened once I think scared me supervisors). Mindfulness has been suggested to me from various sources and up till now I have put of practising it as "have not had enough time".
This book is an awesome mix of the scientific background which causes our brain to become our enemy and Ruby's story of her depression. It is one of those books that show you that the crazy emotions and thoughts you are having are not that unusual and you not alone. I am going to look into a 8 week mindfulness course and until then make time everyday to try and be mindful. One thing that Ruby suggests is just to take 5 seconds every few hours to be truly in the moment and this will be great during those days where I am busy and struggle to fit everything into my day.
I am going to preach the merit of this book to everyone I meet!
This book is an awesome mix of the scientific background which causes our brain to become our enemy and Ruby's story of her depression. It is one of those books that show you that the crazy emotions and thoughts you are having are not that unusual and you not alone. I am going to look into a 8 week mindfulness course and until then make time everyday to try and be mindful. One thing that Ruby suggests is just to take 5 seconds every few hours to be truly in the moment and this will be great during those days where I am busy and struggle to fit everything into my day.
I am going to preach the merit of this book to everyone I meet!
November 3, 2013
Great book based on mental health and mindfulness. Very sciencey in parts, so I learnt a lot about the different parts and functions of the brain; also a lot of psychology in there. Ruby Wax kept it light and humorous - always helpful when reading up on a deep subject. She gives useful advice on how to focus on your thoughts in the present and be aware of every part of your mind and body. My only problem with it was that I would have liked her to spend more on describing the practice of mindfulness (which the whole book was aiming to promote), so that I could actually start using it straight away. I learnt more about the brain than I did about mindfulness. Overall though, I'd recommend it to anyone who struggles with mental health, or wants to find out more about the topic, or is interested to learn a bit about the concept of mindfulness.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 452 reviews