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Schadenfreude

Why we feel better when bad things happen to other people
3.36 goodreads logo

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( 1,021 ratings, 145 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Schadenfreude by Tiffany Watt Smith explores the complexities and nuances of taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others. It delves into the psychological underpinnings of this seemingly negative emotion, examining its role in various aspects of human life, from personal relationships to societal dynamics. This book offers insights into how embracing this emotion might lead to a better understanding of ourselves and our interactions with others.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate exploring the complexities of human emotions and want to understand why we sometimes take pleasure in others' misfortunes. It's a fascinating dive into psychology, shedding light on a universal feeling with wit and insight, perfect for those interested in self-awareness and personal growth.

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A hilarious quest to understand life's ultimate guilty pleasure.

A hilarious quest to understand life's ultimate guilty pleasure

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'A delightful book, full of jokes and confessions' - Guardian

In Schadenfreude, historian of emotions Tiffany Watt Smith offers expert insight and advice. Ranging across thinkers from Nietzsche to Homer Simpson, investigating the latest scientific research, and collecting some outrageous confessions along the way, she reveals how everyoneβ€”babies, nuns, your most trusted friendsβ€”are enjoying your misfortunes. But rather than an emotional glitch, she argues, Schadenfreude can reveal profound truths about our relationships with others and our sense of who we are.

Frank, warm, and laugh-out-loud funny, Schadenfreude makes the case for thinking afresh about this much-maligned emotionβ€”and perhaps, even, embracing it.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

_Titled_ Schadenfreude, Tiffany Watt Smith's book offers a humorous and enlightening exploration of one of the most commonly felt yet often guilt-inducing emotions. It is praised for its wit and candour, regarded as both entertaining and insightful.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781781259108

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 May 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Wellcome Collection

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 16.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 152g

Pages: 160

About the Author

Tiffany Watt Smith is a cultural historian and author of The Book of Human Emotions. Her TED talk 'The History of Human Emotions' has been viewed by more than 4 million people. She regularly appears as an expert contributor on BBC radio and her writing has appeared in The Guardian, The New Scientist and BBC Magazine among others. She is Reader in Cultural History at Queen Mary University of London, where she is also Director of the Centre for the History of Emotions. In 2018 she was awarded the Philip Leverhulme Prize for her research.

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