The Antidote

'Sharp, succinct and socially aware.' * Yen * 'This antidote is at once deliciously wry, winningly candid and happily liberating.' * North & South * 'This is a self-help book for people who don't like self-help books, and a thoughtful, eminently readable celebration of negative thinking.' * Next * 'Erudite and liberating.' * Men's Health * 'This is a refreshing book that has the ability to make a reader feel calmer about their own state of mind, if not, dare I say it? Happier.' * Sunday Mail * '[Oliver Burkeman's] thoughts about the perils of trying too hard to be happy, the art of confronting the worst-case scenario, and the lunacy of goal-setting make a lot of sense. The idea that embracing failure pessimism and insecurity may produce a more satisfying alternative to positive thinking may sound counter-intuitive, but it's liberating.' * Herald Sun * `Addictive, wise and very funny. Burkeman never takes himself too seriously, but the rest of us should.' -- Tim Harford, author of Adapt and The Undercover Economist `The Antidote is a gem. Countering a self-help tradition in which positive thinking too often takes the place of actual thinking, Oliver Burkeman returns our attention to several of philosophy's deeper traditions and does so with a light hand and a wry sense of humor. You'll come away from this book enriched - and, yes, even a little happier.' -- Daniel H. PInk, author of Drive and To Sell Is Human `Quietly subversive, beautifully written, persuasive and profound, Oliver Burkeman's book will make you think - and smile.' -- Alex Bellos, author of Alex's Adventures in Numberland 'Burkeman isn't writing a treatise: his book is squarely aimed at those who can smell the snake-oil in self-help, and who are looking for alternatives. Burkeman advocates for a kind of serenity-a realistic happiness-rather than the fist-pumping exhilaration touted by the New Agers. Go Him.' * Weekend Press / Dominion Post / Waikato Daily Times *