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The Myth of Normal cover art

The Myth of Normal

Written by: Gabor Maté MD, Daniel Maté
Narrated by: Daniel Maté
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Publisher's Summary

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“This riveting and beautifully written tale has profound implications for all of our lives, including the practice of medicine and mental health.” —Bessel van der Kolk, MD, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Body Keeps the Score

“Wise, sophisticated, rigorous and creative: an intellectual and compassionate investigation of who we are and who we may become. Essential reading for anyone with a past and a future.” —Tara Westover, New York Times bestselling author of Educated

The Myth of Normal is 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.” —Johann Hari, New York Times bestselling author of Stolen Focus

“Gabor and Daniel Maté have delivered a book in which readers can seek refuge and solace during moments of profound personal and social crisis. The Myth of Normal is an essential compass during disorienting times.” —Esther Perel, psychotherapist, author, and host of Where Should We Begin

From our most trusted and compassionate authority on stress, trauma, and mental well-being—a groundbreaking investigation into the causes of illness, a bracing critique of how our society breeds disease, and a pathway to health and healing.

Gabor Maté’s internationally bestselling books have changed the way we look at addiction and have been integral in shifting the conversations around ADHD, stress, disease, embodied trauma, and parenting. Now, in this revolutionary book, he eloquently dissects how in Western countries that pride themselves on their health care systems, chronic illness and general ill health are on the rise. So what is really “normal” when it comes to health?

For all our expertise and technological sophistication, Western medicine often fails to treat the whole person, ignoring how today’s culture stresses the body, burdens the immune system, and undermines emotional balance. In The Myth of Normal, co-written with his son Daniel, Maté brings his perspective to the great untangling of common myths about what makes us sick, connects the dots between the maladies of individuals and the declining soundness of society, and offers a compassionate guide for health and healing. The result is Maté’s most ambitious and urgent book yet.

©2022 Gabor Maté (P)2022 Knopf Canada

What the critics say

“In The Myth of Normal, 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.” (Bessel van der Kolk, MD, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Body Keeps the Score)

“Wise, sophisticated, rigorous and creative: an intellectual and compassionate investigation of who we are and who we may become. Essential reading for anyone with a past and a future.” (Tara Westover, New York Times bestselling author of Educated)

The Myth of Normal is 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.” (Johann Hari, New York Times bestselling author of Stolen Focus)

Featured Article: 15 Top Canadian Audiobooks of 2022 for Captivating Listens

There have been plenty of top Canadian books released in 2022, but even in a sea of excellence these listens stand out from the pack. The best of the best? Look no further.

What listeners say about The Myth of Normal

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  • 2023-02-11

keeps getting better

As a listener of all of Gabor's books, the first part of the book served as a reminder. Then new content and a remarkable case of how our society's social dysfunctions are impacting our health really resonated. It may feel like doom and gloom until the healing chapters. So stay for the healing chapters. Must read/listen. I wholeheartedly LOVED Daniel's narration, it's superbly intonated and sincere, and his pretend accents when quoting others are hilarious. Thanks to both authors.

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love Gabor, but seeing other influences in this.

good release overall, just a few chapters that attempt to be apolitical but fail. Loved Gabor's telling of good time with the shepibo, very honest assertion/assessment of himself. Thank you, and blessings on your continued journey.

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Gabor's best work yet!

a must read (or listen as I did). mate touches on all of the relevant concerns of our day and age.

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Good material but drop the accents

The information shared is deep, covers a wide range, consistent and impactful when one engages in true self-reflection of one’s history, self, family, and society. The use of accents is in poor taste and inappropriate. When the narrator sticks to the content it is well presented

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Thought provoking read

Kudos to Gabor for insightful work and to Daniel for making this difficult subject easy and pleasant to follow. I personally enjoyed the few accent shifts where appropriate.
Thank you.

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Enlightening

This book is an essential summary to Dr. Maté’s other written work.

This is an enlightening and practical perspective on the plights of life and the impacts of trauma from someone who has not only experienced trauma but has dedicated his life to helping others find peace.

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Everyone should read this book

Thought provoking and hope providing, I very much enjoyed this book and will revisit it again soon

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A top 3 must read

This book covered a lot of important material and it very well could have been put into a 2 or 3 part book series. Overall I LOVED all of the topics Gabor and Daniel covered, I will be listening to it again but this time to take notes as I felt there was an immense amount of valuable information in this book that should be reviewed and consciously practiced.

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This is more than a movement. This is life changing!!!

Wow. This book is a true blessing. Thank you Gabor and Daniel. With utmost gratitude! 🙏

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Complete Paradigm shift

A great book which allows the reader to explore trauma, illness and wellbeing in new light.

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