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The Myth of Normal

Trauma, Health & Healing in a Toxic Culture – The Sunday Times Bestseller

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The Myth of Normal

By: Gabor Maté, Daniel Maté
Narrated by: Daniel Maté
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Summary

The empowering book exploring the link between trauma, illness, and modern life – and how to heal your health. From the acclaimed physician and bestselling author of When The Body Says No.

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD

We tend to believe that normality equals health. But in today’s modern world, rising rates of anxiety, depression, addiction and chronic illness suggest otherwise. So, what is normal – and is it making us unwell?

In this life-affirming book, Dr Gabor Maté connects the dots between trauma, mental health, and physical illness, showing how our health is shaped by the pressures and expectations of modern life.

Drawing on decades of clinical experience, and real-life stories of people transforming their bodies and minds, Dr Gabor Maté offers a compassionate and hopeful path to healing, self-awareness and emotional wellbeing.

In The Myth of Normal, you’ll discover:

  • Why the illnesses of body and mind can natural responses to a toxic culture
  • How stress and emotional suppression affect the body
  • The science behind the mind-body connection in healing and wellbeing
  • A hopeful path towards resilience, balance and authenticity


Compassionate and urgent, this empowering bestseller shows how true health is possible when we are willing to embrace our authentic selves.

‘Life-changing’ Mel Robbins, bestselling author of The Let Them Theory

‘Riveting and beautifully written’ Bessel van der Kolk, bestselling author of The Body Keeps Score

‘Genuinely changed my life’ Steven Bartlett, bestselling author of Diary of A CEO

‘Intellectual and compassionate…essential reading’ Tara Westover, bestselling author of Educated

‘A wise, profound and healing work’ Johann Hari, bestselling author of Stolen Focus

‘Brilliant, compelling and groundbreaking book’ Tara Brach, bestselling author of Radical Acceptance and Radical Compassion

‘An essential compass during disorienting times.’ Esther Perel, psychotherapist, bestselling author and host of Where Should We Begin

© Gabor Maté, Daniel Maté 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

 Mental Health Personal Development Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Stress Management Health Inspiring Thought-Provoking Mythology

Critic reviews

Gabor Mate takes us on an epic journey of discovery about how our emotional well-being, and our social connectivity (in short: how we live), is intimately intertwined with health, disease and addictions ... This riveting and beautifully written tale has profound implications for all of our lives, including the practice of medicine and mental health
Wise, sophisticated, rigorous and creative: an intellectual and compassionate investigation of who we are and who we may become
A book literally everyone will be enriched by - a wise, profound and healing work that is the culmination of Dr Maté's many years of deep and painfully accumulated wisdom
An astonishing achievement, epic in scope and yet profoundly down-to-earth and practical. I will read this book again and again
Brilliant, compelling and groundbreaking. Gabor Maté offers us a way to bring clear seeing and a greatness of heart to the crisis of our times
A book in which readers can seek refuge and solace during moments of profound personal and social crisis
Gabor Maté's connections - between the intensely personal and the global, the spiritual and the medical, the psychological and the political - are bold, wise and deeply moral. He is a healer to be cherished
A compelling book that will challenge your views and help lift the veil of illusion to what is truly happening in your mind and in your body
Gripping ... a powerful call for change in how we live with, love, understand, treat, and think about each other
Dr Maté has completely transformed how the world sees, talks about and understands trauma. And he has absolutely had that impact on me and it's been life-changing.
All stars
Most relevant
An absolute must read - one of the most important books of our time touching every aspect of life

One of the most important books of this century

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So much knowledge and wisdom in this book that I need to listen again to mop up the missed parts after my mind wandered off, deep in thought.

Brilliant!

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I’m really grateful for dr Gabor Mate to put this book together.
It give me and opportunity to look closely at my “ normal childhood “ or to say childhood trauma.
Very informative and inspiring book as well ( which I’m really pleased about) practical, with sets of exercises helping me greatly to pinpoint my own issues.

Thank you very much!
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Kamil

Eye opening

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This is probably the best non-fiction book I've read. I'd recommend this to everyone because I feel that ideas and the cogent argument of this book are incredibly valuable.

Eye-opening. Would recommend to anyone.

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This is biblical in its necessity and intention.

My only hang up is that I wish that Daniel didn’t imitate other people’s accents. I understand it was for clarity and to signal someone else is speaking and not Gabor, but it sounded a little farcical at times, and I think it could be done without accents, to avoid offending anyone or taking away from the obvious seriousness of the book.

But a phenomenal read and I can’t wait for the print form to come out.

A provocative and yet compassionate inquiry of our times and ourselves

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