How To Be Human by Ruby Wax | BOOK REVIEW

A truly fascinating yet hilarious book about the depths of our mind and why as humans we do the things we do. This is Ruby Wax at her finest, a long with a monk and neuroscientist too! 

Struggling with anxiety and depression for years, Ruby Wax took it by the helm, enrolled at Oxford University to study mindfulness, graduated and now has 3 books to her name helping the cause. 

This is her most recent title which focuses on the brain and why it acts the way it does. The book is split into 12 chapters and covers the following topics:

• Evolution
• Thoughts
• Emotions
• The Body
• Compassion
• Relationships
• Sex
• Kids
• Addiction
• The Future
• Mindfulness Exercises
• Forgiveness

Each chapter begins with Ruby hilariously explaining the topic and then giving a personal insight into her own life. She gives tips and advice within each chapter and also includes an interview between her, the monk and the neuroscientist, where they discuss the topic at hand. 

All the interviews are pretty fun and most of the time its Ruby acting like she knows nothing (when she knows a hell of a lot!); the monk (Thubten) advising on the more mindful aspects and then the neuroscientists giving us the facts about the brain. I really enjoyed these sections and have learnt so much. One thing that I will never forget and which I couldn't quite believe was -

"We share 30% of our DNA with yeast."

Yes, yeast. 

Moving on... I'd recommend this book for anyone who either loves to learn more about our thought processes as well as wanting to become more mindful. There are some excellent exercises from Ruby and the monk.

How to be Human by Ruby Wax, published by Penguin Life is available now. You can buy a hardcover copy from Amazon UK* for £7.00

I was sent this book from the publisher Penguin Life for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.

*this link is an affiliate link meaning I'll receive a small profit if you buy from it.

Have you read any of Ruby Wax's other titles? Did they help you to become more mindful? What's your opinion on mindfulness?