Synopses & Reviews
What if there were a magic pill that could make you happier, turn you into a better parent, solve a number of your teenager's behavior problems, reduce racial prejudice, and close the achievement gap in education? Well, there is no such magic pill-but there is a new scientifically based approach called story editing that can accomplish all of this. It works by redirecting the stories we tell about ourselves and the world around us, with subtle prompts, in ways that lead to lasting change. In Redirect, world-renowned psychologist Timothy Wilson shows how story-editing works and how you can use it in your everyday life.
The other surprising news is that many existing approaches-from the multi-billion dollar self-help industry to programs that discourage drug use and drinking-don't work at all. In fact, some even have the opposite effect. Most programs are not adequately tested, many do not work, and some even do harm. For example, there are programs that have inadvertently made people unhappy, raised the crime rate, increased teen pregnancy, and even hastened people's deaths-in part by failing to redirect people's stories in healthy ways.
In short, Wilson shows us what works, what doesn't, and why. Fascinating, groundbreaking, and practical, Redirect demonstrates the remarkable power small changes can have on the ways we see ourselves and the world around us, and how we can use this in our everyday lives. In the words of David G. Myers, With wit and wisdom, Wilson shows us how to spare ourselves worthless (or worse) interventions, think smarter, and live well.
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"There are few academics who write with as much grace and wisdom as Timothy Wilson. Redirect is a masterpiece."--Malcolm Gladwell
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"Accessible, engaging and consistently WTF-worthy...an instant classic of popular science."--Evening Standard
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"This presents a fascinating argument for how humans make sense of the world."--Library Journal
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"[In Redirect], a keen observer of the human condition explains how tweaking our personal narratives can have a huge effect on our lives."--Kirkus Reviews
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"For those...who find in social psychology a viable vehicle for leading us more surely on the path towards what is true, right and good, Redirect is likely to be a stimulating, valuable read."--New Scientist Culture Lab
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"With a deft narrative touch, an engaging metaphor for bringing about psychological change (personal story editing), and a ferocious commitment to scientific evidence, Timothy Wilson has made a remarkable contribution to knowledge."--Robert Cialdini, author of Influence
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"Whether you are a parent, educator, employer, or simply someone who cares about making the world a better place, you should read this book."--Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., author of The How of Happiness
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"Redirect is a great book!"--Carol Dweck, PhD, author of Mindset
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"Wouldn't it be amazing if a very smart scientist could write a book on happiness, crime, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, parenting, and teenage pregnancy--and sum up all the research in clear and surprising lessons on how we should live our lives? Well, Timothy Wilson is the scientist and Redirect is the book, and it is in fact amazing."--Daniel M. Wegner, Harvard University, author of The Illusion of Conscious Will
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"Redirect reveals the hidden meanings we assume in our everyday lives, how these meanings shape our behavior, and how we can change our assumptions and the world. Extraordinary."--Greg Walton, PhD, Department of Psychology, Stanford University
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"This should be required reading for any well-intentioned person who wants to make the world a better place."--James W. Pennebaker, author of The Secret Life of Pronouns
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"This glorious book shimmers with insights. Timothy Wilson has distilled the field's wisdom and shown us how to use it to change ourselves and the world. This may well be the single most important psychology book ever written."--Daniel Gilbert
Synopsis
We all tell ourselves stories to make sense of the world. These stories ultimately determine if we will lead healthy, productive lives or get into trouble. In REDIRECT, world-renowned psychologist Timothy Wilson proposes a radical new view-that although these narratives can be extremely hard to change, they can change surprisingly quickly if tweaked in the right way. Wilson blows the whistle on failed attempts to solve a broad range of problems and reframes them with new stories.
How can we best recover from trauma? Why might some sex education result in more teen pregnancies? Why might that self-help book have left you distinctly unhappier? Each chapter includes Using It sections, offering a range of practical advice, from writing exercises to parenting techniques to happiness practices that work. Wilson's theories in REDIRECT have been tested scientifically and found to have real results, towards both personal meaning and happiness and social progress.
Synopsis
"There are few academics who write with as much grace and wisdom as Timothy Wilson. REDIRECT is a masterpiece." -Malcolm GladwellWhat if there were a magic pill that could make you happier, turn you into a better parent, solve a number of your teenager's behavior problems, reduce racial prejudice, and close the achievement gap in education? There is no such pill, but story editing - the scientifically based approach described in REDIRECT - can accomplish all of this.
The world-renowned psychologist Timothy Wilson shows us how to redirect the stories we tell about ourselves and the world around us, with subtle prompts, in ways that lead to lasting change. Fascinating, groundbreaking, and practical, REDIRECT demonstrates the remarkable power small changes can have on the ways we see ourselves and our environment, and how we can use this in our everyday lives.
About the Author
Timothy D. Wilson is the Sherrell J. Aston Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. He has written for Science and The New York Times, among other publications and journals, and is the author of Strangers to Ourselves, which was named by New York Times Magazine as one of the Best 100 Ideas of 2002. Wilson is also the coauthor of the best-selling social psychology textbook, now in its seventh edition.
Exclusive Essay
Read an exclusive essay by Timothy Wilson