Blue Mind

The Surprising Science That Shows How Being near, in, on, or under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do

By: Wallace J. Nichols, Céline Cousteau - foreword

Narrated by: Wallace J. Nichols

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

A landmark book by marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols on the remarkable effects of water on our health and well-being.

Why are we drawn to the ocean each summer? Why does being near water set our minds and bodies at ease? In Blue Mind, Wallace J. Nichols revolutionizes how we think about these questions, revealing the remarkable truth about the benefits of being in, on, under, or simply near water. Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with compelling personal stories from top athletes, leading scientists, military veterans, and gifted artists, he shows how proximity to water can improve performance, increase calm, diminish anxiety, and increase professional success.

Blue Mind not only illustrates the crucial importance of our connection to water - it provides a paradigm shifting "blueprint" for a better life on this Blue Marble we call home.

©2014 Wallace J. Nichols (P)2014 Hachette Audio

Listening to Blue Mind is my preferred mode

Where does Blue Mind rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book lends itself to being listened to. The stories, anecdotes and information are healing, comforting and exciting.

Who was your favorite character and why?

There are many heroes in this book. Author Wallace J. Nichols illustrates the new discoveries with stories about a fascinating cast of characters.

Which character – as performed by Wallace J. Nichols – was your favorite?

Wallace J. Nichols has an easy to follow and comforting voice. His narration is excellent.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I have a good background in the fields involved... but I was often delightened and surprised at the way Nichols connects the dots so expertly.

Any additional comments?

I am a major Audible fan but some books are more conducive to being listened to. This is one I return to over and over.

Wonderful and inspiring

This book was truly wonderful. It would bring me calm after dealing with the stresses of the day and really made me want to go to the water and relax. It makes you aware of the different neuroprocessors at work when you are trying to become calm or are getting happy.

Slow, boring, obvious.

Hey did you know that earth is mostly water? You did? Did you know that people are mostly water? You did? Did you know that babies breathe water, and that people can smell water? No way, you knew that too? Wow, you should write a book about water, this guy did. Well do you know what the author's friend's professor had for breakfast? No? Then read this book! It's filled with boring useless facts and quotes! This book adds nothing to this world and never needed to be written.

When did anecdotes become science?

This book is full of anecdotes and very minimal actual science. We mostly just get to hear about why the author loves water. I would be very interested in this topic if someone wrote a book with some real data.

Transformative... the author is a classic storyteller.

Simply put, this book explained why I was compelled to be near water. Aren’t we all? Doesn’t matter why to most of us at first... but once you understand that WATER IS MEDICINE you will listen to what your mind/body/soul is saying... your Blue Mind. It’s saying it needs water to survive, to relax, to find peace, to have fun, to exercise, to feel the “rush”, to heal, to mourn, to celebrate, to feel complete. I always knew this... now I “get it” and have a name for it. Transformative narrative you can’t read or listen to just once. Thank you J. I wish you water too.

I Highly Recommend This Book!

Wow There was so much covered in this book and in such a clear fashion. I listened to the whole book while walking the beach or while just looking at the Pacific Ocean. And I can't believe how much this book has changed the way feel about the Ocean. It cracked open my Blue Mind and I can't wait to listen to it again. Very well written and researched! It's also the very first book that I've ever listened to where the author reads The acknowledgments at the end of the book - very nice touch. It showed the sincerity of the author.

The "Bible" for professional who work with water.

As a pool construction company owner - I can't recommend this book enough!

We all know that being around water makes us feel better mentally, emotionally, and spiritually... This book provides the scientific verification of this.

I now have an entirely new perspective on what I do (build backyard swimming pools), and I have a new understanding of how much this benefits my clients.

I'm so glad I found this book - it put words to things I already knew, but had never really thought about.

Alright.

Pretty common sense info repeated multiple different ways by listing multiple different studies that don’t truly scientifically prove the author’s point. Narration is dull and feels spliced together. A perfect example of when authors shouldn’t narrate.

This is why authors shouldn't read their own work.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I didn't even last past the introduction.

The author reads
in chunks of three
to four words
at a time, occasionally finishing a sentence.

Just because he wrote the words doesn't mean he's a good performer and reading books is performance.

Were the concepts of this book easy to follow, or were they too technical?

The performance was dreadful, so I didn't even make it out of the intro.

Would you be willing to try another one of Wallace J. Nichols’s performances?

Absolutely not.

Was Blue Mind worth the listening time?

See above.

Any additional comments?

Really, seriously, this is important. Hire a director who knows how to teach public speaking or get a professional actor to read books. Authors are frequently dreadful readers and this is a prime example of just such a case. Listening to this reminds me of sitting through paper after paper at academic conferences, read by people who hadn't rehearsed their presentations. I listen to audiobooks for entertainment as well as edification. When half of that equation is missing, it's a waste of my time.

Life Changing!

This book is one that I recommend again and again! As a digital nomad, I now purposely design my living locations to be 'near, in, on, or under' water (well, maybe not 'under', but you get the idea!). Connecting with water more regularly has helped me sleep better, feel less stressed, and relax more easily. Grateful for this book!