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Awestruck: How Embracing Wonder Can Make You Happier, Healthier, and More Connected
How the moments that make us go “Wow!” can make lasting and positive improvements to our health, relationships, and everyday lives.
What do you feel when you gaze up at the Milky Way, see a beautiful rainbow, or stand before a mountain that seems impossibly high? Often it’s a profound sense of awe, the overwhelming feeling we experience when we encounter something vast that transcends our understanding. Awe-inspiring moments are all around us, ranging from the grand to the commonplace, and can hold a key to a happy, meaningful, and healthy life. Awestruck serves as a guide to help you tap into the powerful, life-changing benefits of awe. Beginning with a comprehensive explanation of the emotion, Jonah Paquette introduces us to the power of awe and how it can help alleviate struggles in our modern life, including stress, social isolation, and time pressure. Continuing with over 60 practices, this book provides an accessible and tangible path to bring more wonder into your everyday life. Awestruck shows us how to reclaim space for moments of reverence and ultimately find more joy and fulfillment in our lives.
What do you feel when you gaze up at the Milky Way, see a beautiful rainbow, or stand before a mountain that seems impossibly high? Often it’s a profound sense of awe, the overwhelming feeling we experience when we encounter something vast that transcends our understanding. Awe-inspiring moments are all around us, ranging from the grand to the commonplace, and can hold a key to a happy, meaningful, and healthy life. Awestruck serves as a guide to help you tap into the powerful, life-changing benefits of awe. Beginning with a comprehensive explanation of the emotion, Jonah Paquette introduces us to the power of awe and how it can help alleviate struggles in our modern life, including stress, social isolation, and time pressure. Continuing with over 60 practices, this book provides an accessible and tangible path to bring more wonder into your everyday life. Awestruck shows us how to reclaim space for moments of reverence and ultimately find more joy and fulfillment in our lives.
192 pages, Paperback
Published June 9, 2020
75 people are currently reading
1701 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 15, 2021
4 stars
July 16, 2020
The first part of this book seemed like a scientific exercise in stating the obvious, but the book improved in the second section, which focuses on practical ideas for how people can enhance their sense of wonder and experience awe in everyday life. I enjoyed this, and appreciate how many of the author's suggestions do not require finances or the ability to travel. Although he does include ideas for trips, his primary focus is on how people can experience awe in ordinary contexts.
I especially appreciated his many suggestions related to journaling. I identified strongly with his arguments for why journaling is so valuable, and remembered a time that I got chills from reading a description that I had written of a sunset from years prior. Even though I didn't have a camera with me when I saw it, I later journaled about it in detail, describing the colors and the way that the blazing sun reflected in the windows outside the grocery store. If that's not an example of experiencing awe in your everyday life, I don't know what is, and I got to re-experience it because I wrote it down.
This is a great book for people who aren't very familiar with the power of awe, and want to learn how to be more attuned and appreciative to the world around them, and there are also lots of great suggestions for someone like me, who experiences awe on a regular basis and has a very sensitive, INFJ outlook on life and the natural world. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in the subject, even though the first section of the book is repetitive and seemed mostly like common sense to me. Do we need scientific studies to tell us that people who experience awe on a regular basis tend to be happier and less materialistic? Maybe we do. But for the most part, it seemed like a lot of excitement over how science has proven basic things that we already know.
My other complaint with this book is more minor, because it only came up a handful of times near the beginning. However, the author showed his personal bias by casting organized religion in a negative light. Although it made sense for him to explain the history of how awe has expanded beyond a religious emotion to encompass more of life, his statements about alternate forms of spirituality and non-religious awe implied that "religious dogma" is bad and not a legitimate source of awe or transcendence.
He may not have intended this negativity, but organized religion is a genuine source of transcendence, awe, and wonder for a large portion of the world's population, and making it sound like we've moved past that, and like religious beliefs aren't a legitimate source of joy, mystery, or amazement, isn't helpful. I wish that he could have written about the areas of awe beyond religion without showing personal bias against the beliefs of non-secular readers.
It bothered me, especially since many of my most transcendent and awe-filled experiences have related to my faith, but since I am a Christian, it was easy to be like, "Oh, well. He doesn't understand." I would view this as more problematic for a Muslim or Jewish believer, for whom religious rituals are a very significant part of life, and more culturally frowned upon in the secular West. I wish that pop psychology books didn't so often discount the meaning and significance that religious practices and experiences play in so many lives and cultures.
Still, that was only a very minor element of the book, and even though he repeated it several times, this only came up near the beginning. The rest of the book shows no marked preference against religion, and just focuses on suggestions for how people can enhance their lives by experiencing different forms of awe.
I especially appreciated his many suggestions related to journaling. I identified strongly with his arguments for why journaling is so valuable, and remembered a time that I got chills from reading a description that I had written of a sunset from years prior. Even though I didn't have a camera with me when I saw it, I later journaled about it in detail, describing the colors and the way that the blazing sun reflected in the windows outside the grocery store. If that's not an example of experiencing awe in your everyday life, I don't know what is, and I got to re-experience it because I wrote it down.
This is a great book for people who aren't very familiar with the power of awe, and want to learn how to be more attuned and appreciative to the world around them, and there are also lots of great suggestions for someone like me, who experiences awe on a regular basis and has a very sensitive, INFJ outlook on life and the natural world. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in the subject, even though the first section of the book is repetitive and seemed mostly like common sense to me. Do we need scientific studies to tell us that people who experience awe on a regular basis tend to be happier and less materialistic? Maybe we do. But for the most part, it seemed like a lot of excitement over how science has proven basic things that we already know.
My other complaint with this book is more minor, because it only came up a handful of times near the beginning. However, the author showed his personal bias by casting organized religion in a negative light. Although it made sense for him to explain the history of how awe has expanded beyond a religious emotion to encompass more of life, his statements about alternate forms of spirituality and non-religious awe implied that "religious dogma" is bad and not a legitimate source of awe or transcendence.
He may not have intended this negativity, but organized religion is a genuine source of transcendence, awe, and wonder for a large portion of the world's population, and making it sound like we've moved past that, and like religious beliefs aren't a legitimate source of joy, mystery, or amazement, isn't helpful. I wish that he could have written about the areas of awe beyond religion without showing personal bias against the beliefs of non-secular readers.
It bothered me, especially since many of my most transcendent and awe-filled experiences have related to my faith, but since I am a Christian, it was easy to be like, "Oh, well. He doesn't understand." I would view this as more problematic for a Muslim or Jewish believer, for whom religious rituals are a very significant part of life, and more culturally frowned upon in the secular West. I wish that pop psychology books didn't so often discount the meaning and significance that religious practices and experiences play in so many lives and cultures.
Still, that was only a very minor element of the book, and even though he repeated it several times, this only came up near the beginning. The rest of the book shows no marked preference against religion, and just focuses on suggestions for how people can enhance their lives by experiencing different forms of awe.
October 25, 2020
Author Jonah Paquette looks at awe---what it is, its history, why we experience awe, the reactions of our brain and body to awe, and ways to cultivate awe.
August 22, 2021
This is not a fantastically written or terribly deep book but it gets four stars from me because it has done an excellent job of nailing what I think of as my own brand of spirituality.
The next time someone asks me if I’m religious, I’ll send them to look up this title.
The next time someone asks me if I’m religious, I’ll send them to look up this title.
March 15, 2023
This was a great read! Very fast because it’s a short book but I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and that he offered a lot of practical tips on how to increase a sense of awe and wonder in your daily life—what a gift this book is!
February 19, 2022
Awestruck by its wordiness
Didn’t enjoy reading it. Extremely wordy. The main message is 1) feeling awe can make us happier and kinder and 2) we can look for ways to feel awe everyday. I wish it was an article instead of a book.
Didn’t enjoy reading it. Extremely wordy. The main message is 1) feeling awe can make us happier and kinder and 2) we can look for ways to feel awe everyday. I wish it was an article instead of a book.
May 23, 2022
Quick read. Good insight into awe. It's something so simple yet so many have no idea nor do they understand the concept or benefits.
December 27, 2020
Explores how experiencing the world with a sense of wonder and awe can lead to a life of less stress and more joy.
Thanks to the publisher, Shambhala, for providing an arc for my honest review.
Thanks to the publisher, Shambhala, for providing an arc for my honest review.
September 3, 2021
The author used the word Awe so many times that it was laughable. I almost wish I read the ebook versus the audio book so I could do a search on the word to get a word count.
November 15, 2021
You can summarize the book in a paragraph really - feeling awe is amazing and has many health benefits including reducing stress and generating altruism. Do these things to feel wonder like taking in nature, and meditation. That's the book.
March 27, 2024
Quick enjoyable read. I completely understand where some of these reviewers are coming from when they say it’s repetitive or that it simply states various sources of awe. However, I think that might be a reductive way of reading this book. I found that just to read this book, to absorb the author’s excitement for some of life’s most awe-inspiring experiences, was a practice in appreciation and wonder. I am left feeling more motivated to seek out amazement. He also weaves a number of action steps throughout the chapters; the instructions for journaling exercises or meditative thought prompts are particularly helpful.
October 29, 2024
Got about 25% of the audiobook done, and HAD to buy the paperback.
This is excellent, life changing, and I can’t wait to read the actual text.
This is excellent, life changing, and I can’t wait to read the actual text.
October 31, 2020
I was awestruck to discover this book - I thought I was the only one who experienced the world in this way, and it was like finding my 'tribe' and reading the story of my awe experiences! The science and psychology are fascinating and this is a book that I will be dipping into and re-reading on a regular basis - a true gem and jewel to have discovered.
August 23, 2021
I picked this book up because its premise, a scientific and psychological examination of “awe”, intrigued me. Even so, as I read the book, Whitman’s poem, “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer,” kept rising to mind.Would my own appreciation and experience of awe be somehow diminished by this dissection and critique?
I admit there were moments that I felt that way. My inner critic also bristled a bit at many of the author’s personal examples of his own “awesome” moments, frequently predicated on travel or other costly experiences that many people can’t afford, whether in time or money.
And yet, I found genuine value in being reminded of consciously seeking wonder, joy and gratitude whether in everyday or intentional experiences. Ultimately, this book has helped me be more attuned to the serendipitous and more appreciative of all the many astounding things that present themselves to me daily…making the choice to see and celebrate the beautiful ordinary.
When I finally closed the book, I revisited Whitman’s poem. I would have gone “to look up at perfect silence at the stars” but that wasn’t an option in a strict Covid lockdown. So I sat silent instead and thought about all the miraculous things in my life, even during this time of extraordinary challenges.
And I was awestruck.
I admit there were moments that I felt that way. My inner critic also bristled a bit at many of the author’s personal examples of his own “awesome” moments, frequently predicated on travel or other costly experiences that many people can’t afford, whether in time or money.
And yet, I found genuine value in being reminded of consciously seeking wonder, joy and gratitude whether in everyday or intentional experiences. Ultimately, this book has helped me be more attuned to the serendipitous and more appreciative of all the many astounding things that present themselves to me daily…making the choice to see and celebrate the beautiful ordinary.
When I finally closed the book, I revisited Whitman’s poem. I would have gone “to look up at perfect silence at the stars” but that wasn’t an option in a strict Covid lockdown. So I sat silent instead and thought about all the miraculous things in my life, even during this time of extraordinary challenges.
And I was awestruck.
September 13, 2021
I loved the first half of this book! I have had my own theories and thoughts about awe for a really long time, particularly about the Overview Effect. So this has been so rewarding to read! I still feel there is more to nail with this frequently referenced but rarely discussed emotion! The second half was good, but it seemed a little drawn out. I think it would be more interesting to look at it from a sense of scale, how different genres of awe is experienced at the small, micro level scaled all the way up to the vast scale. I think there is vastness where the individual feels small and then there is vastness where the individual realizes other things are so small and then there is vastness of space between things and vastness between understanding separate ideas that are connected and so much else!
July 24, 2022
I loved this book and would recd everyone read it and think about it! I should qualify though I’m a nerd and a psychologist so I love reading about studies and being introspective about our feelings. If you don’t admire or value psychological research findings you may not enjoy this as much as I did. Jonah was definitely talking to me in this book. His suggestions, insights and exercises are exactly what I’ve been needing and desiring in my life. I’m a convert and will be starting new practices and hopefully developing some new habits. Here’s to a better brain! I’m not just getting older …I’m going to get better!
May 3, 2020
This was not as good as I'd hoped, but pretty good overall. For me the bottom line is that we each need to find our own way to awe, and we certainly need more of it. This has some good suggestions, including approaches I haven't thought of. For me, the book picked up a little steam as it went on. This is really a tough subject to cover just with words, but this does a decent job. 3.5 stars.
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
I really appreciate the ARC for review!!
August 18, 2021
Unimpressed. Most of the author's personal anecdotes felt like a humblebrag forum and his only constructive advice seemed to be (para) "Look for awe in everything."
Much of the data was vague "one study said this" or "a university study said this." If you're providing me data to support your viewpoint, I want to know: a) who researched it, b) the dates they researched it, c) the size of the sample, d) the boundaries or limitations of the research, etc.
Much of the data was vague "one study said this" or "a university study said this." If you're providing me data to support your viewpoint, I want to know: a) who researched it, b) the dates they researched it, c) the size of the sample, d) the boundaries or limitations of the research, etc.
August 19, 2021
Not my usual read, I had to read a self-help for a challenge. It was decent for what it was. The first half is informative about how moments of awe affect people and the body, which I found interesting. The second half was "exercises" to do to experience awe, which just felt like your standard mindfulness or live in the moment tips, so nothing new or exciting. Pretty quick and easy to follow though, with a nice change from all my fiction.
April 19, 2024
It was a good read at the beginning, but then it got repetitive. This could have been a much shorter book. The science of how awe can affect our bodies and minds was cool, but the rest of the book (more than half) could have been condensed. The author tells us how we can experience awe more regularly and devotes entire chapters on these subjects. These could have been in lists with some descriptions instead. It was fine overall, but I won't read it again or recommend it.
August 18, 2025
I did enjoy parts of this book, especially some of the research that has been done around awe. However, reading a book about awe, completely separate from the One who inspires the most awe, with no acknowledgement of how the scenes in nature and in our world point us in awe to our Creator, left me feeling a bit let down. It ended up feeling a little empty. As I listened I kept saying YES BUT BECAUSE OF GOD loudly to myself.
August 19, 2021
While not necessarily completely novel in its ideas (bit then again who is), it gives good examples and ties various fields of research together and gives good quotables for his concepts. I will try an include more mindfulness when teaching my science courses as the field is ripe with potential awe-provoking experiences.
September 16, 2021
This book wasn't bad, but for me, awe is so closely linked with worship that divorcing the two (other than discussing the historical ties between religion and the concept of awe) created a major flaw. It was like reading a book about the history of the 20th century that omits both world wars, except to mention that a guy named Hitler was chancellor of Germany for a few years.
June 7, 2023
This book really helped me feel more appreciative of the expansiveness of life. It might've even made "awe" a kind of switch that I can flip on to slowdown and really appreciate life. I definitely want to go walk in Prospect Park now. I think this has been one of the most helpful books I've read from the self-help category.
August 11, 2020
I really enjoyed this, both the science side and the 'suggestions' side. I've never thought about awe, and so this was new brain territory for me. I love learning new things, and this has great suggestions for recognizing and experiencing awe.
October 27, 2020
Not just about creating more moments of awe but also making sure you are recognizing awe in your everyday life.
April 29, 2021
Wonderful reminder that life can be awesome, even in the smallest of details, if we only take the time to look.
September 2, 2021
It's more like the hidden wonder of meditation taking time to acknowledge the details of almost everything
May 23, 2022
A book about awe will not awe you. Yet, it helps provide words to describe all the moments in the past that brought you wonder.
July 16, 2022
Interesting, fairly easily applicable information that could be edited down to a great blog post. Waaay too many great white shark stories (my husband describes the book as "shark weak" 😂).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews