A National Bestseller!
"Read this book to connect with your highest self."
--Susan Cain, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet
and Quiet
"We need more awe in our lives, and Dacher Keltner has written the
definitive book on where to find it."
--Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think
Again*
*
"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, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard
University, and author of How the Mind Works and Rationality
From a foremost expert on the science of emotions and consultant to
Pixar's Inside Out, a groundbreaking and essential exploration into
the history, science, and greater understanding of awe
Awe is mysterious. How do we begin to quantify the goose bumps we feel
when we see the Grand Canyon, or the utter amazement when we watch a
child walk for the first time? How do you put into words the collective
effervescence of standing in a crowd and singing in unison, or the
wonder you feel while gazing at centuries-old works of art? Up until
fifteen years ago, there was no science of awe, the feeling we
experience when we encounter vast mysteries that transcend our
understanding of the world. Scientists were studying emotions like fear
and disgust, emotions that seemed essential to human survival.
Revolutionary thinking, though, has brought into focus how, through the
span of evolution, we've met our most basic needs socially. We've
survived thanks to our capacities to cooperate, form communities, and
create culture that strengthens our sense of shared identity--actions
that are sparked and spurred by awe.
In Awe, Dacher Keltner presents a radical investigation and deeply
personal inquiry into this elusive emotion. Revealing new 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
grief, Keltner shows us how cultivating awe in our everyday life leads
us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature. And during a
moment in which our world feels more divided than ever before, and more
imperiled by crises of different kinds, we are greatly in need of awe.
If we open our minds, it is awe that sharpens our reasoning and orients
us toward big ideas and new insights, that cools our immune system's
inflammation response and strengthens our bodies. It is awe that
activates our inclination to share and create strong networks, to take
actions that are good for the natural and social world around us. It is
awe that transforms who we are, that inspires the creation of art,
music, and religion. At turns radical and profound, brimming with
enlightening and practical insights, Awe is our field guide, from not
only one of the leading voices on the subject but a fellow seeker of awe
in his own right, for how to place awe as a vital force within our
lives.
