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Irresistible by Adam Alter

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Irresistible

Author
Adam Alter
Narrator
Adam Alter
Publisher
Random House
Publish Date
2 March 2017
Run Time
8 hours 17 minutes
Format
Audiobook
Genre
Psychology, Popular psychology, Health, illness and addiction: social aspects, Impact of science and technology on society

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What to expect

Random House presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Irresistible, written and read by Adam Alter.

'Truly addictive' Malcolm Gladwell * 'Brilliant' Susan Cain * 'Essential' Charles Duhigg

How many times have you checked your phone today? Why are messaging apps, email and social media so hard to resist? How come we always end up watching another episode?

In recent years, media and technology have perfected the lucrative art of gaining and holding our attention. This extraordinary feat has changed the behaviour of billions of people, and especially the young: by current medical standards, we are experiencing an unprecedented, global pandemic of addiction. But what exactly is an addiction? And what, if anything, might we do about it?

From cliff-hangers to earworms, from religion to pornography, and from the awesome allure of the 'Kim Kardashian: Hollywood' app to the unexpected benefits of the 'butt-brush effect', Irresistible blends fascinating stories with ingenious science to explain how and why we all got hooked. Revealing the surprising causes and sometimes bizarre nature of addiction, this book will equip you with the tools and understanding you need to navigate our irresistible new world.

Critics Review

  • A truly addictive book ... a fascinating and much needed exploration of one of the most troubling phenomena of modern times

    MALCOLM GLADWELL

  • Brilliant. Irresistible offers a crucial understanding of how we are psychologically tethered to our devices, along with much-needed solutions

    SUSAN CAIN author of QUIET

  • Essential reading if you’ve ever wondered why some experiences are so addictive, and how to regain control of your time, finances, and relationships

    CHARLES DUHIGG, author of THE POWER OF HABIT

  • An important, groundbreaking book about why we're addicted to technology, how we got here, and what we should do next

    ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, author of THRIVE

See more reviews
  • There could be no better guide than Adam Alter to a technological landscape that’s increasingly designed to turn us into addicts. Your sanity will thank you for reading it

    OLIVER BURKEMAN, author of THE ANTIDOTE

  • Irresistible digs down into exactly how technology has us hooked by tapping into our deepest needs and desires … brims with insightful studies

    The Times

  • Contains smart and ­fascinating analysis of how social media apps, gambling sites and computer games have been engineered to hook users ... offers insights that apply far beyond the scope of internet addiction

    New Statesman

  • A book which lives up to its title ... chock-full of stories, characters galore, and statistics to make you gasp. It's very entertaining

    New Scientist

  • Fascinating ... compelling ... Irresistible makes some vital points

    Daily Telegraph

  • Illuminating … fascinating

    Observer

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Details
Author
Adam Alter
Narrator
Adam Alter
Duration
8 hours 17 minutes
Release Date
2 March 2017
ISBN
9781473548985
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
Random House
Genre
Psychology, Popular psychology, Health, illness and addiction: social aspects, Impact of science and technology on society

Synopsis

Random House presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Irresistible, written and read by Adam Alter.'Truly addictive' Malcolm Gladwell * 'Brilliant' Susan Cain * 'Essential' Charles DuhiggHow many times have you checked your phone today? Why are messaging apps, email and social media so hard to resist? How come we always end up watching another episode?In recent years, media and technology have perfected the lucrative art of gaining and holding our attention. This extraordinary feat has changed the behaviour of billions of people, and especially the young: by current medical standards, we are experiencing an unprecedented, global pandemic of addiction. But what exactly is an addiction? And what, if anything, might we do about it? From cliff-hangers to earworms, from religion to pornography, and from the awesome allure of the 'Kim Kardashian: Hollywood' app to the unexpected benefits of the 'butt-brush effect', Irresistible blends fascinating stories with ingenious science to explain how and why we all got hooked. Revealing the surprising causes and sometimes bizarre nature of addiction, this book will equip you with the tools and understanding you need to navigate our irresistible new world.

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