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Psychology

Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality

Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality

$19.00
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INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From the bestselling author of Cultish and host of the podcast Sounds Like a Cult, a delicious blend of cultural criticism and personal narrative that explores our cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical thinking.

Utilizing the linguistic insights of her "witty and brilliant" (Blythe Roberson, author of America the Beautiful?) first book Wordslut and the sociological explorations of her breakout hit Cultish, Amanda Montell now turns her erudite eye to the inner workings of the human mind and its biases in her most personal and electrifying work yet.

"Magical thinking" can be broadly defined as the belief that one's internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world: think of the conviction that one can manifest their way out of poverty, stave off cancer with positive vibes, thwart the apocalypse by learning to can their own peaches, or transform an unhealthy relationship to a glorious one with loyalty alone. In all its forms, magical thinking works in service of restoring agency amid chaos, but in The Age of Magical Overthinking, Montell argues that in the modern information age, our brain's coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to an eleven.

In a series of razor sharp, deeply funny chapters, Montell delves into a cornucopia of the cognitive biases that run rampant in our brains, from how the "halo effect" cultivates worship (and hatred) of larger-than-life celebrities, to how the "sunk cost fallacy" can keep us in detrimental relationships long after we've realized they're not serving us. As she illuminates these concepts with her signature brilliance and wit, Montell's prevailing message is one of hope, empathy, and ultimately forgiveness for our anxiety-addled human selves. If you have all but lost faith in our ability to reason, Montell aims to make some sense of the senseless. To crack open a window in our minds, and let a warm breeze in. To help quiet the cacophony for a while, or even hear a melody in it.

BODY KEEPS THE SCORE

BODY KEEPS THE SCORE

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#1 New York Times bestseller

"Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society." --Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies

A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times bestseller

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers' capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments--from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga--that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain's natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal--and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.

Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life

Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life

$30.00
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A guide to the art of journaling--and a meditation on the central questions of life--by the bestselling author of Between Two Kingdoms, with contributions from Hanif Abdurraqib, Jon Batiste, Salman Rushdie, Gloria Steinem, George Saunders, and many more

"The Book of Alchemy proves on every page that a creative response can be found in every moment of life--regardless of what is happening in the world."--Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love

From the time she was young, Suleika Jaouad has kept a journal. She's used it to mark life's biggest occasions and to weather its most ferocious storms. Journaling has buoyed her through illness, heartbreak, and the deepest uncertainty. And she is not alone: for so many people, keeping a journal is an essential tool for navigating both the personal peaks and valleys and the collective challenges of modern life. More than ever, we need a space for puzzling through.

In The Book of Alchemy, Suleika explores the art of journaling and shares everything she's learned about how this life-altering practice can help us tap into that mystical trait that exists in every human: creativity. She has gathered wisdom from one hundred writers, artists, and thinkers in the form of essays and writing prompts. Their insights invite us to inhabit a more inspired life.

A companion through challenging times, The Book of Alchemy is broken into themes ranging from new beginnings to love, loss, and rebuilding. Whether you're a lifelong journaler or new to the practice, this book gives you the tools, direction, and encouragement to engage with discomfort, ask questions, peel back the layers, dream daringly, uncover your truest self--and in doing so, to learn to hold the unbearably brutal and astonishingly beautiful facts of life in the same palm.

Also includes essays from: Martha Beck - Nadia Bolz-Weber - Alain de Botton - Susan Cheever - Lena Dunham - Melissa Febos - Liana Finck - John Green - Marie Howe - Pico Iyer - Oliver Jeffers - Quintin Jones - Michael Koryta - Hanif Kureishi - Kiese Laymon - Cleyvis Natera - Ann Patchett - Esther Perel - Adrienne Raphel - Jenny Rosenstrach - Sarah Ruhl - Sharon Salzberg - Dani Shapiro - Mavis Staples - Linda Sue Park - Nafissa Thompson-Spires - Jia Tolentino - Lindy West - Lidia Yuknavitch - And many others

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

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NOW IN PAPERBACK--AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"One of those life-changing reads that makes you see--or, in this case, hear--the whole world differently." --Megan Angelo, author of Followers

"At times chilling, often funny, and always perceptive and cogent, Cultish is a bracing reminder that the scariest thing about cults is that you don't realize you're in one till it's too late."--Refinery29.com

The New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Magical Overthinking and Wordslut analyzes the social science of cult influence: how "cultish" groups, from Jonestown and Scientologists to SoulCycle and social media gurus, use language as the ultimate form of power.

What makes "cults" so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we're looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join--and more importantly, stay in--extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? In this captivating work of nonfiction cultural commentary, Amanda Montell's argument is that, on some level, it already has . . .

Our culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of "brainwashing." But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In Cultish, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us/them attitudes all comes down to the specific language of fanaticism. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear--and are influenced by--every single day.

Through juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities "cultish," revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven's Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, cult fitness classes, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of "cultish" everywhere.

This gripping exploration of sociolinguistics reveals:

  • The Linguistics of Influence: A fascinating breakdown of how specific linguistic techniques--from loaded language to thought-terminating clichés--create intense ideology and control, without any freaky mind-control wizardry.
  • From Jonestown to Social Media: An eye-opening look at a wide spectrum of "cultish" groups, connecting the dots between notorious cults like Heaven's Gate and the subtle persuasion in modern start-ups and Instagram feeds.
  • The Social Science of Power: Through juicy storytelling and cutting research, Montell decodes why we're so drawn to these groups and answers the secret question we all have: "Could it happen to me?"
  • MLMs and #BossBabes: A sharp analysis of how multilevel marketing schemes and other modern tribes use the language of empowerment and inspiration as a powerful tool for recruitment and retention.
  • Emotion-Savvy Parenting: A Shame-Free Guide to Navigating Emotional Storms and Deepening Connection

    Emotion-Savvy Parenting: A Shame-Free Guide to Navigating Emotional Storms and Deepening Connection

    $24.99
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    Intense emotions - whether your own or your child's - can make it incredibly difficult to be the parent you want to be. This book is designed to help you become a more emotionally agile parent so you can better navigate whatever emotional storms you inevitably encounter.

    Emotion-Savvy Parenting is an empowering, science-informed guide for breaking free of the hold that unwanted emotions so often have over parents. With compassion and wit, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Alissa Jerud draws on decades of research to present a refreshing, theory-driven approach that encourages parents to focus on changing the only behaviors they truly have control over: their own. Rooted in highly effective, cognitive-behavioral strategies and a respectful, relationship-centered stance, her ART (Accept, Regulate, and Tolerate) framework enables parents to relate more skillfully to challenging emotions, model invaluable lessons, connect more deeply with their kids, and enjoy parenting more.

    Packed with real-life examples and step-by-step techniques, this book supports parents of infants to teens in creating a more harmonious home by becoming their ideal, most emotionally adept selves. It also serves as a valuable resource for educators and mental health professionals seeking to help lighten the heavy load of parenthood.

    HT FOCUS

    HT FOCUS

    $9.95
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    The simple, refreshing meditations of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh give us the tools to cultivate concentration. Practicing mindfulness brings concentration, and concentration brings insight and understanding.

    With our world experiencing the deep effects of loneliness, digital overload, and a proliferation of potential distractions, this pocket-sized How To book reminds us of the value of developing our concentration, so we can let go of misperceptions and cultivate the clarity of mind that is the basis for understanding ourselves, each other, and the world.

    Written with characteristic simplicity and kindness, these wise meditations teach us that by practicing mindfulness in daily life, we are cultivating the power of concentration and fostering the conditions that bring insight, liberating us from misperceptions and misunderstanding.

    The Mindfulness Essentials series is a back-to-basics collection from world-renowned Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh that introduces readers to the essentials of mindfulness practice. All Mindfulness Essentials books are illustrated with playful sumi-ink drawings by California artist Jason DeAntonis.

    Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy

    Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy

    $29.00
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    From a comedian and host of hit TED podcast, How to Be a Better Human, a hilarious and enlightening guide to laughing your way into a fuller life

    "Warning: this book may cause repeated smiling. It's a delightful read about how we can bring more levity into our lives."
    --Adam Grant, author of Hidden Potential and Think Again

    In his days as an exhausted fifth grade teacher, Chris Duffy taught the funniest person he's ever met: eleven-year-old Gary. Gary was the school newspaper's official food critic, blasting cafeteria pizza for looking like cardboard and opining that the baked beans weren't "beany" enough. These days, Duffy is a professional comedy writer and the host of a podcast with millions of listeners, but he's never forgotten the transformative joy of laughing with Gary during a bleak Boston winter. In Humor Me, he shares a road map for how to cultivate and strengthen a sense of humor in a challenging world.

    Duffy embarks on a journey that takes him from comedy clubs to emergency rooms to a helicopter full of Navy SEALs and back to his own keyboard to reveal how--and why--a good laugh can bring us closer to the good life. Drawing on personal stories, insights from the social sciences, and the wisdom of comedians, Duffy offers practical strategies, including:

  • How to hone the art of noticing, finding humor in the most unlikely places
  • Why you should take social risks (to build connection through humor!)
  • How to apply the comedy secret that laughs come in threes.

  • Humor Me promises to deepen your friendships, enhance your creativity, and lighten life's burdens, and is a genuinely funny read along the way.

    Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking about

    Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking about

    $29.99
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    Over 7 Million Copies Sold!
    #1 New York Times Bestseller
    #1 Sunday Times Bestseller
    #1 Amazon Bestseller
    #1 Audible Bestseller

    A Life-Changing Tool Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About

    What if the key to happiness, success, and love was as simple as two words?

    If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with where you are, the problem isn't you. The problem is the power you give to other people. Two simple words--Let Them--will set you free. Free from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others. Free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. The Let Them Theory puts the power to create a life you love back in your hands--and this book will show you exactly how to do it.

    In her latest groundbreaking book, The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins--New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's most respected experts on motivation, confidence, and mindset--teaches you how to stop wasting energy on what you can't control and start focusing on what truly matters: YOU. Your happiness. Your goals. Your life.

    Using the same no-nonsense, science-backed approach that's made The Mel Robbins Podcast a global sensation, Robbins explains why The Let Them Theory is already loved by millions and how you can apply it in eight key areas of your life to make the biggest impact. Within a few pages, you'll realize how much energy and time you've been wasting trying to control the wrong things--at work, in relationships, and in pursuing your goals--and how this is keeping you from the happiness and success you deserve.

    Written as an easy-to-understand guide, Robbins shares relatable stories from her own life, highlights key takeaways, relevant research and introduces you to world-renowned experts in psychology, neuroscience, relationships, happiness, and ancient wisdom who champion The Let Them Theory every step of the way.

    Learn how to:

  • Stop wasting energy on things you can't control
  • Stop comparing yourself to other people
  • Break free from fear and self-doubt
  • Release the grip of people's expectations
  • Build the best friendships of your life
  • Create the love you deserve
  • Pursue what truly matters to you with confidence
  • Build resilience against everyday stressors and distractions
  • Define your own path to success, joy, and fulfillment
  • . . . and so much more.

    The Let Them Theory will forever change the way you think about relationships, control, and personal power. Whether you want to advance your career, motivate others to change, take creative risks, find deeper connections, build better habits, start a new chapter, or simply create more happiness in your life and relationships, this book gives you the mindset and tools to unlock your full potential.

    Order your copy of The Let Them Theory now and discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words.

    The cover has been updated to include the name of co-author Sawyer Robbins. Customers may receive either version of the cover at random.

    MANS SEARCH FOR MEANING

    MANS SEARCH FOR MEANING

    $15.00
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    "It's an absolute must-read for every human being. Period."
    --Anna Chlumsky

    A book for finding purpose and strength in times of great despair, the international best-seller is still just as relevant today as when it was first published.

    "This is a book I reread a lot . . . it gives me hope . . . it gives me a sense of strength."
    --Anderson Cooper, Anderson Cooper 360/CNN

    This seminal book, which has been called "one of the outstanding contributions to psychological thought" by Carl Rogers and "one of the great books of our time" by Harold Kushner, has been translated into more than fifty languages and sold over sixteen million copies. "An enduring work of survival literature," according to the New York Times, Viktor Frankl's riveting account of his time in the Nazi concentration camps, and his insightful exploration of the human will to find meaning in spite of the worst adversity, has offered solace and guidance to generations of readers since it was first published in 1946. At the heart of Frankl's theory of logotherapy (from the Greek word for "meaning") is a conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but rather the discovery and pursuit of what the individual finds meaningful. Today, as new generations face new challenges and an ever more complex and uncertain world, Frankl's classic work continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very act of living, in spite of all obstacles.

    A must-read companion to this classic work, a new, never-before-published work by Frankl entitled Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything, is now available in English.

    PRIMAL WOUND

    PRIMAL WOUND

    $15.00
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    The Primal Wound is a seminal work which revolutionizes the way we think about adoption. It describes and clarifies the effects of separating babies from their birth mothers as a primal loss which affects the relationships of the adopted person throughout life.. It is a book about pre-and perinatal psychology, attachment, bonding, and loss. It gives adoptees, whose pain has long been unacknowledged or misunderstood, validation for their feelings, as well as explanations for their behavior. It lists the coping mechanisms which adoptees use to be able to attach and live in a family to whom they are not related and with whom they have no genetic cues. It will contribute to the healing of all members of the adoption triad and will bring understanding and encouragement to anyone who has ever felt abandoned..

    Shadow Work Journal: A Guide to Integrate and Transcend Your Shadows

    Shadow Work Journal: A Guide to Integrate and Transcend Your Shadows

    $21.99
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    Join more than a million readers around the world in this journey to self-discovery, healing, and inner transformation--new, expanded edition with added tips and exercises curated by therapists!

    Are you ready to transcend your shadows and journey toward deeper self-awareness and inner peace?

    The first step is to confront the shadows that have been holding you back for years.

    The Shadow Work Journal, a smash hit on TikTok, is an empowering and compassionate tool to help you face and overcome the obstacles and limiting self-beliefs that are holding you back from achieving your true potential.

    Based on highly effective therapeutic practices, this interactive journal guides you on an exploration through the hidden aspects of your psyche, to help you confront and embrace your shadow self. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, depression, loneliness, or confusion, you'll find plenty of tools to help you here. Using insightful prompts, thought-provoking exercises, and reflections, you'll discover a path to develop greater self-awareness, cultivate self-love and acceptance, and find a deeper connection with your authentic self.

    Join the millions of people whose lives have been transformed through The Shadow Work Journal and experience the healing you deserve.

    Benefits of Shadow Work:

    -Strengthen friendships, relationships, and everyday interactions with others
    -Heal generational trauma
    -Become "un-stuck"
    -Set personal boundaries
    -Build compassion for yourself and those around you
    -Process the world around you with clarity and insight

    TALKING TO STRANGERS

    TALKING TO STRANGERS

    $18.99
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    Malcolm Gladwell, host of the podcast Revisionist History and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Outliers, offers a powerful examination of our interactions with strangers--and why they often go wrong.

    How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA for a generation? Why did Neville Chamberlain think he could trust Adolf Hitler? Why are campus sexual assaults on the rise? Do television sitcoms teach us something about the way we relate to one another that isn't true? Talking to Strangers is a classically Gladwellian intellectual adventure, a challenging and controversial excursion through history, psychology, and scandals taken straight from the news. He revisits the deceptions of Bernie Madoff, the trial of Amanda Knox, the suicide of Sylvia Plath, the Jerry Sandusky pedophilia scandal at Penn State University, and the death of Sandra Bland--throwing our understanding of these and other stories into doubt. Something is very wrong, Gladwell argues, with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we don't know. And because we don't know how to talk to strangers, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding in ways that have a profound effect on our lives and our world. In his first book since his #1 bestseller David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell has written a gripping guidebook for troubled times.

    A Best Book of the Year: The Financial Times, Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, and Detroit Free Press

    UNFUCK YOUR BRAIN

    UNFUCK YOUR BRAIN

    $14.95
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    A no-nonsense and helpful guide on how to cope with a slew of mental-health issues that are hellbent on ruining the lives of millions of people worldwide.

    Our brains do their best to help us out, but every so often they can be real assholes--having melt downs, getting addicted to things, or shutting down completely at the worst possible moments. Your brain knows it's not good to do these things, but it can't help it sometimes--especially if it's obsessing about trauma it can't overcome. That's where this life-changing book comes in.

    With humor, patience, science, and lots of good-ole swearing, Dr. Faith explains what's going on in your skull, and talks you through the process of retraining your brain to respond appropriately to the non-emergencies of everyday life, and to deal effectively with old, or newly acquired, traumas (particularly post-traumatic stress disorder).

    Unfuck Your Intimacy: Using Science for Better Relationships, Sex, and Dating

    Unfuck Your Intimacy: Using Science for Better Relationships, Sex, and Dating

    $14.95
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    Explore your relationships and sexuality, with yourself and with others, with this new book by Dr. Faith, author of bestselling Unfuck Your Brain. Written particularly for people who are in intimate relationships, but also incredibly useful if you're single or dating and trying to unpack your past or plan for your future. With science and humor, Dr. Faith demystifies topics such as kink, consent, shame, and trauma recovery. Contains many exercises and questions to think, talk, or write about, on your own or with a partner. Read this book to learn vital life skills like listening to your body and your gut, setting boundaries, and communicating your needs. If you're looking to heal from past wounds, make better choices, or improve an existing relationship, this book is for you. Better sex and relationships are totally possible! You've got this.This book speaks to so many of the possible ways of being intimate with yourself and others. Whether you're queer, straight, trans, ace, demi, aro, are dealing with past abuse or societal bullshit, or have no freaking clue what's going on with you yet, Dr. Faith's got you covered.