"An intriguing odyssey" though the history of the self and the rise of narcissism (
The New York Times).
Self-absorption, perfectionism, personal branding-it wasn't always like this, but it's always been a part of us. Why is the urge to look at ourselves so powerful? Is there any way to break its spell-especially since it doesn't necessarily make us better or happier people? Full of unexpected connections among history, psychology, economics, neuroscience, and more,
Selfie is a "terrific" book that makes sense of who we have become (NPR's
On Point). Award-winning journalist Will Storr takes us from ancient Greece, through the Christian Middle Ages, to the self-esteem evangelists of 1980s California, the rise of the "selfie generation," and the era of hyper-individualism in which we live now, telling the epic tale of the person we all know so intimately-because it's us.
"It's easy to look at Instagram and selfie-sticks and shake our heads at millennial narcissism. But Will Storr takes a longer view. He ignores the easy targets and instead tells the amazing 2, 500-year story of how we've come to think about our selves. A top-notch journalist, historian, essayist, and sleuth, Storr has written an essential book for understanding, and coping with, the 21st century." -Nathan Hill,
New York Times-bestselling author of
The Nix
"This fascinating psychological and social history . . . reveals how biology and culture conspire to keep us striving for perfection, and the devastating toll that can take."-
The Washington Post
"Ably synthesizes centuries of attitudes and beliefs about selfhood, from Aristotle, John Calvin, and Freud to Sartre, Ayn Rand, and Steve Jobs." -
USA Today
"Eminently suitable for readers of both Yuval Noah Harari and Daniel Kahneman,
Selfiealso has shades of Jon Ronson in its subversive humor and investigative spirit." -
Bookseller
"Storr is an electrifying analyst of Internet culture." -
Financial Times
"Continually delivers rich insights . . . captivating." -
Kirkus Reviews
