Description

From a foremost expert on the science of emotions, a ground-breaking exploration into the history, psychology and meaning of awe

Social psychologist Dacher Keltner has spent his career speaking to different groups of people, from schoolchildren to prisoners to healthcare workers, about the good life. These conversations and his pioneering research into the science of emotion have convinced him that happiness comes down to one thing: finding awe.

Awe allows us to collaborate with others, open our minds to wonder, and see the deep patterns of life. In his new book, Keltner presents a radical investigation into this elusive emotion. Drawing on his own scientific research into how awe transforms our brains and bodies, alongside an examination of awe across history, culture and within his own life during a period of immense grief, Keltner shows us how cultivating wonder leads us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature. The book includes intensely moving, deeply personal stories of awe from people all over the world – doctors and veterans, environmentalists and filmmakers, indigenous scholars and hospice workers, ministers and midwives, poets and prisoners.

At turns radical and profound, Awe is our field guide for how to uncover everyday wonder as a vital force within our lives.

Publisher Review

Fascinating and enjoyable -- Tomiwa Owolade * Sunday Times * Keltner writes movingly... Awe often defies language, but Keltner is highly attuned to its traces -- Edward Posnett, Book of the Day * Guardian * Keltner's core message, imploring us to smell the coffee and whoa at it, is a welcome one in our overscheduled times * Financial Times * Humanity has a lot of loss to work through. Keltner has written the perfect guidebook for this journey, interweaving discoveries that he and his disciples have made since he pioneered the scientific study of awe 20 years ago with highly personal-and at times excruciatingly tender-meditations on the death of his brother Rolf * Harvard Business Review * A gifted storyteller, Keltner draws on the experiences of individuals across the world to document the salutary impact of everyday, wild and mystical encounters with nature, music, visual art, literature, religion, the birth of children, and the death of loved ones * Psychology Today * Awe is awesome in both senses: a superb analysis of an emotion that is strongly felt but poorly understood, with a showcase of examples that remind us of what is worthy of our awe -- Steven Pinker I recommend [Awe] to everyone. Its ideas organized a lot of my experiences, observations, thoughts, and hopes in a powerful new way -- Rebecca Solnit * (X) * It is rare for a book to dive into a single emotion to analyze it from every possible angle. Dacher Keltner's expertise makes it a fascinating and stimulating journey to recognize awe as a mysterious force in our lives -- Frans de Waal An engaging and insightful exploration of the ordinary magic that connects us to the world, to each other, and to the meanings of our lives. The 'science of wow' has finally arrived -- Daniel Gilbert Your goosebumps when you listen to Beethoven; your wonder as you behold the Grand Canyon; your amazement at the sheer perfection of a baby's tiny foot. You've probably sensed that such moments of awe are some of the most profound experiences ever to happen to you. But if you've ever wondered where these moments come from, what they mean, and how to experience them more often: there is no better guide than Dacher Keltner, the great and wise Berkeley psychologist. Read this book to connect with your highest self -- Susan Cain We need more awe in our lives, and Dacher Keltner has written the definitive book on where to find it. As a preeminent expert on the science of awe, he does a masterful job demystifying this powerful emotion and unpacking how it both elevates us and grounds us -- Adam Grant Through powerful and compelling stories of transformation and passion, Keltner expertly introduces us to feel the mighty emotion of AWE-something we all need more of in our lives -- Pete Docter This extraordinary book explores the power of awe and amazement in our lives and in the life of this world. It reveals the gift of awe from the perspectives of science, the self, and society. Written with passion and clarity, it is a book that itself nourishes awe and turns us toward our lives with fresh eyes and an open heart -- Roshi Joan Halifax Our troubling times, our clickbait media, even our own habits of mind, blanket our consciousness with the negative and threatening in life. This book is a counter force. Powerful, erudite, rooted in brilliant research, but always fascinatingly accessible, it uplifts the wonderful in life. From the beauty of movement in sports to the moral courage of a friend, it's a guide to how to see and experience the wonder that is always all around us. It balances consciousness. It has been a long time since I've read anything as inspiring. I'd say race to read it. You won't be disappointed -- Claude M. Steele Dacher Keltner has written a deeply personal, scientifically brilliant treatise on an emotion he convinces us we need to experience more often in our daily lives -- Richard E. Nisbett A researcher who has taught us new ways to think about generosity and cooperation has turned his attention to one of the most understudied emotions of all, awe. Eye-opening and mind expanding -- Sarah Blaffer Hrdy