First published 2021
Modern life has made us too comfortable, and this comfort may be destroying our physical and mental health. Award-winning journalist Michael Easter argues that we need discomfort to thrive as humans. He travels the globe to investigate this theory, meeting with an NBA exercise scientist who applies ancient Japanese methods to train champions, visiting Bhutan to learn what death teaches about happiness from an Oxford economist and Buddhist leader, and working with a neuroscientist who studies how nature challenges us in ways that boost creativity while reducing burnout and anxiety. Easter's most demanding test comes during a thirty-three-day hunting expedition in remote Alaska, where he experiences the rewilding power of one of Earth's last wild places. Through these encounters with visionaries and researchers, Easter develops a practical blueprint for using discomfort to improve health and happiness while reconnecting with our evolutionary nature.
Genres: nature, adventure, non-fiction, health
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water
Setting: Alaska, Bhutan
304 pages · Hardcover · Rodale Books