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Vendor
Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English

THE JOY OF MOVEMENT

Kelly McGonigal

How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage

The bestselling author of The Willpower Instinct and The Upside of Stress introduces a surprising science-based book that doesn't tell us why we should exercise, but instead shows us how to fall in love with movement.
Exercise is health-enhancing and life-extending, yet many of us feel it's a chore. But as Kelly McGonigal reveals, it doesn't have to be. Movement can and should be a source of joy.

Through her trademark blend of science and storytelling, McGonigal draws on insights from neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, and evolutionary biology, as well as memoirs, ethnographies, and philosophers. She shows how movement is intertwined with some of the most basic human joys, including self-expression, social connection, and mastery - and why it is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

McGonigal tells the stories of people who have found fulfillment and belonging through running, walking, dancing, swimming, weightlifting, and more, with examples that span the globe, from Tanzania, where one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes on the planet live, to a dance class at Juilliard for people with Parkinson's disease, to the streets of London where volunteers combine fitness and community service, to races in the remote wilderness, where athletes push the limits of what a human can endure. Along the way, McGonigal paints a portrait of human nature that highlights our capacity for hope, cooperation, and self-transcendence.

The result is a revolutionary narrative that goes beyond familiar arguments in favor of exercise to illustrate why movement is integral to both our happiness and our humanity. Readers will learn what they can do in their own lives and communities to harness the power of movement to create happiness, meaning, and connection.

Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., is a research psychologist, a lecturer at Stanford University, and an award-winning science writer. She is the author of the international bestseller The Willpower Instinct, The Upside of Stress, and Yoga for Pain Relief. Her work has been published in twenty-eight languages. Since 2000, she has taught dance, yoga, and group exercise in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Book

Published 2019-12-31 by Avery

Book

Published 2019-12-31 by Avery

Comments

Part scientific exploration, part inspirational story, part intimate love letter to physical activity, The Joy of Movement reveals how what many consider as just 'exercise' is actually so much more - a pathway to not only physical and mental health, but also love, connection, and community. Kelly has written a fascinating book that is a must-read for everyone, really.

Ten Percent Happier lists McGonigal's THE JOY OF MOVEMENT as one of "New Books That We Think You'll Love": "The new book by bestselling author Kelly McGonical - the featured expert on Ten Percent's upcoming course on healthy habits - shows how exercise can and should be a source of joy, with her trademark blend of science and storytelling." Read more...

Interview: Episode #343: Kelly McGonigal - The Power Of Discipline, Movement, & Stress Read more...

Chinese (complex): Babel ; Chinese (simplified): Beijing Xiron ; Finnish: Viisas Elama ; Hebrew: Armchair ; Hungarian: Ursus Libris ; Italian: Giunti ; Japanese: Daiwa ; Korean: Rokmedia ; Lithuanian: Alma Littera ; Polish: Helion ; Portuguese (Brazil: Alta Books ; Russian: Mann, Ivanov & Ferber ; Ukrainian: Nash Format ; Vietnamese: R Books

THE JOY OF MOVEMENT is one of their Favorite Books of 2019: "...Whether you like to swim, dance, run, bike, or do yoga, McGonigal's book will bring you new insight into what exercise can do for you and might just motivate you to add more movement to your life." Read more...

This book reminded me that no matter what injuries or obstacles I have to overcome, I can always find joy in movement, and I am stronger than I realize!

THE JOY OF MOVEMENT is one of Nutritious Movement's "21 Books to Get You Moving and Thinking (About Movement)": "...The Joy of Movement is a motivating celebration of the many benefits of human movement." Read more...

I love this book. Kelly McGonigal brings us to the cutting edge of exercise neuroscience that greatly expands our understanding.

THE JOY OF MOVEMENT is on Outside's "The 2019 Sweat Science Holiday Book List" Read more...

As someone who has long believed that we were born to run, I was fascinated by Kelly McGonigal's account of a much broader truth: We were born to move. Threading together unexpected insights from neuroscience, evolutionary biology, philosophy, and more, The Joy of Movement makes a compelling scientific case for the role of exercise in promoting pleasure, social connection, and hope.