Go Wild

Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization

By: John J. Ratey, Richard Manning, David Perlmutter - foreword

Narrated by: Dan Woren

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

The scientific evidence behind why maintaining a lifestyle more like that of our ancestors will restore our health and well-being.

In Go Wild, Harvard Medical School Professor John Ratey, MD, and journalist Richard Manning reveal that although civilization has rapidly evolved, our bodies have not kept pace. This mismatch affects every area of our lives, from our general physical health to our emotional wellbeing. Investigating the power of living according to our genes in the areas of diet, exercise, sleep, nature, mindfulness, and more, Go Wild examines how tapping into our core DNA combats modern disease and psychological afflictions, from Autism and Depression to Diabetes and Heart Disease. By focusing on the ways of the past, it is possible to secure a healthier and happier future, and Go Wild will show you how.

©2014 John J. Ratey and Richard Manning (P)2014 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A brilliantly creative synthesis of research and theory offering up a practical, playful, yet profound answer to that most basic question: how to live." - Edward Hallowell, MD, author of Shine: Using Brain Science to Bring Out the Best in Your People"A clear, sustained, fast-paced, utterly persuasive argument that much of our current distress and disease is the product of how the activities of regimented modern life estrange us from our biological needs, literally making us ill. It's also about how to live to avoid this distress. Filled with fascinating details, and the palpable joy of the authors who have found a way to break free from these restrictions, it's also inspiring and will influence many to change the way they live for the better." - Norman Doidge, MD, author of The Brain That Changes Itself"SPARK is just what we need--a thoughtful, interesting, scientific treatise on the powerful and positive impact of exercise on the brain. In mental health, exercise is a growth stock and Ratey is our best broker."--Ken Duckworth, MD, Medical Director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness"Spark is mercifully short on Ivy League med-school-speak. And it may just spell the end of all dumb-jock jokes." --Abe Streep, Outside"The mission accomplished by this wonderfully empowering book is nothing short of revolutionary." - from the foreword by David Perlmutter, MD, author of Grain Brain"At last a book that explains to me why I feel so much better if I run in the morning!" - Dr. Susan M. Love, Dr. Susan Love's Menopause and Hormone Book"If your goal is to live a long and healhy life to the fullest, then Spark should be required reading." - Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH, "The Father of Aerobics""Ratey has culled the latest science and found that a regular workout can help build a better, faster brain." - USA TODAYPRAISE FOR SPARK

"A real turning point that explains something I've been trying to figure out for years, having experienced symptoms of both ADHD and mild depression. Exercise is not simply necessary; as Dr. Ratey clearly shows, it's medicine." - Greg LeMond, three-time winner of the Tour de France"Essential reading for anyone interested in unleashing the true power of human nature." - Tyler Graham, author of The Happiness Diet"An exciting read! A fascinating investigation into the power of evolutionary forces in our lives. Illuminating, penetrating, and immensely practical." - Jim Loehr, cofounder of Human Performance Institute and coauthor of The Power of Full Engagement

Life Changing

I never write reviews on anything, but I feel that I have a responsibility to review this one. This book is essential for anyone that wants to live a long, prosperous and happy life. Every word in this book makes sense on all levels. To realize what millions of years of evolution has created for us to live happy and not sick, and to see what we have done to ourselves as a species in the last 100 years is mind blowing. This book has changed my life! I wish I would have read this decades ago.

Too much cherry picking to finish

Made it through all of Chapter 1 and most of Chapter 2, and the wildest thing about the book so far has been the claims made. To me, this book screams cherry picking and data manipulation so loudly that I couldn’t bring myself to finish it.

Ties it all together

Would you consider the audio edition of Go Wild to be better than the print version?

Did not read the print version

What other book might you compare Go Wild to and why?

none

Which scene was your favorite?

The entire book brought together so many of our social ills and tied them to our present lifestyle.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Simplify your life

Any additional comments?

Loved it - listened to it 3 times and will repeat it.

The most civilizing book of your life.

Go wild might be, paradoxically, the most civilizing book of your life. If you follow the advice you will live healthier physically, mentally and emotionally. If you take the next logical step you might even lead you community and culture to making the changes necessary to save our planet.

May want to pass

The beginning is boring. Chapters 3 and 4 are Paleo nonsense. The parts about rebuilding the brain through activity are good, but reading Spark is better.

Makes sense!

Listening to this book was like waking up from a trance that I have been on for decades. A trance that has lead all of us into a trap. A trap that has made us all sick and disconnected from ourselves, nature and the universe itself.
If you are serious about taking control of your life, health and creativity this book will help you understand the many basic urges we have as humans and why we ought to follow our design.

Great book

Everyone should read this book thrive don't just survive. This is a great follow up on spark a little more comprehensive less science heavy

Awesome

This is the best book I listen to this year!
I'm going to read the authors other books to! This book is overall an awesome book

Awesome!!

Awesome reading for a different way of thinking living the way different world. You will enjoy.

Good for motivation

I found it easy to step outdoors and exercise more, but hard to totally kick refined sugar and processed grains. I wish more people would read this. What do you do when friends invite you to dinner and every dish contains one or the other?

Most American holidays are filled with sweets and starches. Until the food trends of the last 40 years, demonizing fat and adding sugar to everything, are publicly debunked, it will be hard to eat away from home and eat healthfully. I will read this book again and again.

Incredible ideas on how to align your life with evolutionary principles

Fascinating facts about the human body and how to optimize your modern life so that it is more in line with the evolutionary design (for lack of a better word). Even though I am not a paleo zealot - far from it - I knew most of it about the nutrition from other like-minded sources. This book was particularly helpful in terms of the information on sleep and biofilia - the love of nature, wilderness that is biologically encoded in all of us. It's going to make a lasting and profound impression on my life, and I highly recommend this thoroughly enjoyable book.

Great listen

Where does Go Wild rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Among the best I've listened to.

What other book might you compare Go Wild to, and why?

A nice update to Spark by John Ratey including some other elements for a balanced approach to life.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The idea of training in groups opposed to alone was a bit of a realisation for me as I tend to do most of my training alone which does lead to training becoming a chore even though I love it.

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

Makes you ponder your current state of affairs.

Food for thought

A very thought provoking book bringing together a number of disciplines that when considered as a whole offer a number of easy to follow guidelines.

Some of the research included I felt possibly had alternative sources for the end results but it's down to interpretation.

Certainly tools I will be incorporating into my journey.

Excellent book by one of the best in his domain

Excellent compilation, a treasure of evidence based case to live the life to its fullest potential by disinfecting it from perils of modern civilisation.

Sound advice for modern living

I will definitely be applying some of the advice given in this book. As the cover says, the main areas of focus are diet, exercise, meditation, sleep and being outside.

Diet: covers why we should be eating low-carb diets, and gives personal accounts of the illnesses which are in extreme cases associated with our modern habits.

Exercise: discusses the benefit and links between physical movement and mental health + cognitive ability. Trail running and cross fit are held up as examples throughout the book.

Meditation: shows the benefits again on both mental and physical health, using examples from scientific studies. Further research online suggests the benefits of meditation are visible after 8 weeks at 30 minutes a day - I’m not sure if they give that specific advice in the book.

Sleep: interesting section showing how our sleep patterns have changed, and the value of sleep linked with mood and cognitive ability.

The being outside / connect with nature bit is more of a theme throughout the book, examples are given as to why, as animals, we need to feel the stimulation of being outside, how it improves mood and physical health.

Definitely recommend for those (like me) who are fed up with our modern living, but aren’t quite ready to go and live on a hippy commune. I found I do implement a lot of the advice already, so the book aligns to how I think, but it’s also definitely given me food for thought on how I can implement more steps to improve my mood, and because the authors provide the research to back up their arguments, it gives motivation to follow through.

Super you - the one book that says it all

This is a very special book. It is not a scientific text but an easy going yet informative narrative on how to optimise your health and well being in linking lifestyle behaviour with our human genetic makeup through the prism of ancestral reflection.

It is a must listen if you require a relatively succinct yet well considered route to creating a Super-you.

Mindblowing

I’m halfway through and I am just in awe.
Would definitely recommend to people who want to become better versions of themselves, become more spiritual (not even in a religious way) and in tune with nature.