A Book of Secrets: Finding Solace in a Stubborn World

by Derren Brown

."Friction and struggle lead to growth."

In A Book of Secrets, internationally bestselling author Derren Brown considers the value and benefit of having pain in our lives,

Is it in those moments that we are faced with adversity that we find the most lasting rewards?
Do we spend so much time trying to make sense of our lives that we forget what makes us wonderfully us?
What are the secrets that show us how to meet challenging moments head on?

In thirteen fascinating chapters, Derren takes us back to his own scenes of childhood humiliation, to lonely evenings on tour, to being paralysed by shyness at a dinner party hosted by famous guests, to navigating middle age and to finding love. By sharing his own moments of anger, frustration, loneliness and loss, Derren reveals how it's possible to find consolation and compassion in our most challenging times.

A Book of Secrets is a profound and practical guide to finding value in sadness and strength from what life throws at us - it is from the difficulty of life that we find meaning and grow.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Philosophy, Audiobook, Psychology, Personal Development, Biography

293 pages, Paperback

Published September 16, 2021

About the author

Derren Brown is an English mentalist, illusionist, and author. He has produced several shows the stage and television and is the winner of two Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Entertainment. He has also written books for magicians as well as the general public.

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

This is a sort of meditation on coping with the ambiguities and difficulties of things that fall between the cracks of life. Very much about turning fifty and having to reappraise your self and wants and goals and acts in that light. As a book its a bit aimless, or at least meandering, but a meander with Derren Brown tends to be more useful than a purposeful walk with a lot of louder people. I highlighted a lot.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sometimes becoming who you are involves getting over who you think you should be”

Damn Daniel

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I deliberated between giving this either a 4 or 5 star rating. Because even though it was an immensely involving view at life and everyone’s part in the world, I did find it at times a bit ‘wordy’. But this is Derren Brown, someone who I’ve had the pleasure to meet numerous times (lovely guy) and who I always find that anything he has to say to be not just interesting but funny, moving and always, always meaningful.

[Lacer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a bit of a weird book. Still, it's got a very firm five stars from me for the last few chapters, which were like the book/audiobook (I half read - half listened to this one) equivalent of Derren Brown walking into my bedroom (where I was reading/listening to the book), pulling up a chair and going “right, this is what’s going on in your life, it's fine, it's normal, have you thought about thinking about things this way?”. Basically, buy this book/audiobook if you're having a bit of a midlife crisis and persevere through the first chapters. The first chapters are okay; the whole book is sort of like a diary, starting with Derren wondering around New York during the day, writing in coffee shops before performing on Broadway at night, then moving on to the COVID lockdowns (those chapters were rather moving) and then onto the process of moving into a new house. The book is a bit random, but it's good.

[Anton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked it up as a follow up to Derren Brown's excellent Happy: Why more or less everything is absolutely fine. And it was and it wasn't that. Derren is a fascinating character, and he does expand here on some of the themes from Happy. But this book is far less organized. It flows in multiple directions. Still. There are some real gems to be found here... but sifting effort is needed.

If you must choose, pick Happy: Why more or less everything is absolutely fine instead.

[Sean Welsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very clever book and if anything too clever for me. But we’ll written and some very good insights.

[Tee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was too wordy and felt like the topics were loosely strung together. I enjoyed the parts that were more autobiographical but some of it read too much like a research paper in a subject I struggled to follow rather than the semi-self-help book it marketed itself as.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always an enjoyable challenge to read a Derren Brown book. It is a book that you can pick up and get something new from it every time you read it. It has helped me to challenge my perspective especially now that I am middle aged! 😊

[Hannah Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book felt like Derren was taking you on a journey with him from start to finish. A fun mix of philosophy, biography and self-help. I admit, like others, I had to take advantage of my kindle dictionary during the earlier chapters but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of it, and I found myself needing it less as the chapters went on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the stories and ideas shared throughout.

[Matt Barker · Rating 1 out of 5]

So many words… to say so little.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

In some ways an odd, eclectic book that can feel at times like it’s all over the place, but I’ve absolutely loved it, and came to see towards the end that what initially felt disjointed was actually very cleverly structured.

Brown contemplates some life lessons in a vivid way, which draws on philosophy, sociology and psychology in order to guide his thinking. It builds on Happy, with a healthy dose of Stoicism, but also draws attention to where Stoicism fails us, particularly in terms of human interactions.

He uses his own experiences whilst writing the book to great effect. During the writing of ‘A Book of Secrets’ Brown is initially working away from home on a Broadway show, enters lockdown, loses his father, and moves house. The chapter which deals with the loss of his father is possibly one of the most moving things I have ever read, and the chapter which deals with his approaching middle age is extraordinarily thoughtful.

Some will get frustrated with Brown’s colourful, flowery style of writing. I enjoyed it, but only once I realised the best way for me to read this book was slowly and delicately, often re reading paragraphs to think them over. This definitely won’t be for everyone though.

At one point I considered giving this just 4 stars simply because I enjoyed Happy more, but that wouldn’t do justice to this thought provoking, sublime and very touching book. One of just a handful of books that I’ve finished but want to reread again within the year.

[Teun Segers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tl;dr: Worth a read if you're a fan of Derren Brown.

The book is a bit random/disjointed at times, and reads more like a diary. Which is fine. You can see that halfway through writing this book the Covid pandemic happened, which maybe made him segway into different topics. I did quite like the overall message of the book, and the Covid chapters are a nice change of pace. It's also very easy to read.

It does help that I really like the man Derren Brown himself, and I could practically his voice while reading the pages. His intelligence and wit come across just as much as in his television appearances (provided that the reader knows the man).

This book doesn't give the reader real "tricks" like his book "Tricks of the Mind" does (I still use the mnemonic devices discussed in that book almost ten years after reading it). A Book of Secrets does give interesting perspectives on different aspects of life. It's well written, and as I've said easy to read, so if you liked his other books or his television persona it's well worth it.

[Alice Pickersgill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meandering, although not a bad person to go on a meander with. There are definitely some good gems of advice in here but I wish Derren Brown has chosen more clearly what sort of book he wanted this to be. Some chapters skew strongly to memoir (those are the ones that shine, especially the section about his curated self image, and his father's death), while others are weighed down in footnotes and cherry-picked research.

His previous self-help book (because that's what these books are no matter how much he protest they aren't) 'Happy' felt much more coherent in its overall thesis, I'd recommend that over this one if you enjoy his TV work and want to hear more from him.

Audio book read by the author definitely added to the chatty walk with a friend vibe that the best chapters had.

[Soph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit wordy but did make me laugh. Also give me an existential crisis so I think it was good?

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of Derren’s books which imparts his wisdom on to us mere mortals. His vocabulary is also outstanding, he has surely swallowed a dictionary. I haven’t awarded 5 stars as towards the end, the book became a bit “waffly”, a term DB probably wouldn’t use. I also felt as if he has sold out a bit to the US market, substituting S’s for Z’s!! Why why why! Derren is British, you can’t have him America!

[Bertie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Derren Brown’s writing is SO beautifully constructed; considered, perceptive, intelligent and wise. His honesty and level of self criticism is brave but possibly the only way to reveal his compassion for people and help us find ways to cope with life’s cruelties.

(The only reason he lost a star is because I am petty and way down the evolutionary scale to him and cannot equate his writing as the kindest man on earth with my personal experience of him. It was very unpleasant; squirming under his withering gaze/caustic comments at a show is still painfully raw even after 12 years 🫤).

[Luke Skibniewski-Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth star is just for the chapter on shyness

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like Derren Brown and this is a well written book, lots of great prose although sometimes airing on the verbose but that's to be expected. It's a perfect read for those entering their midlife, a nice way to help reflect back on the past and look forward to the future.

[Tom Hodgson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes becoming who you are involves getting over who you think you should be.

[Hayley (Shelflyfe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Transworld Publishers for sending me a copy of 𝐀 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 by Derren Brown, which is an interesting memoir, from someone I've admired for a long time.
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𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐯𝐞? ... 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠. 𝐍𝐨𝐭, 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠.
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Similar to his other books, and work in general, Brown challenges the reader's perceptions throughout A Book of Secrets.
In Happy, he reiterated that there is no one true definition of happiness, and the same is true for any quick win or shortcut we try to take in being content.
Life isn't perfect, and as humans none of us are perfect either.
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𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝, 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐨, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰, 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.
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Brown shares his own imperfections and challenges in life.
One story he regales the reader with that stayed with me, is how shy he can be in certain company; we see the showman on stage performing regularly and expect that confidence to exude the same way off the stage as on, but life isn't like that.
In fact, as an introvert, sometimes people think you are arrogant and standoffish in these scenarios, when nothing could be further from the truth!
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐬, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐭: 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐟, 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞.
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Brown shares insight into his experience of the covid-19 pandemic, sharing the passing of his Father, and the strange unreality that we have all been facing recently.
But he also argues for the benefits of friction, and stress, and reiterates how even in what feels like the worst times, these emotions that are often viewed as negative are precisely what help us grow as people.
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𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐢𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞'𝐬 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞.
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I'd definitely recommend A Book of Secrets to fans of Derren Brown, and readers who enjoy memoirs.
I imagine this also works really well as an audiobook, especially as Brown narrates it himself, and I would definitely read more from him in the future.

[Adam Chamberlain · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We embrace ambiguity because it acknowledges the sentience of others and the staggering expanse of our ignorance. Its denial motivates a neurotic compulsion to reinvent the world in our image. Its acceptance, on the other hand, is the task of growing up."

A deeply affecting and thoughtful volume characterised by his sharp, self-deprecating sense of humour and fine way with words, as is consistently the case with Derren Brown's writing. I found so much that resonated and/or moved me deeply herein, and perhaps not least as I am in the same period of midlife as the author. Time and again, the topics he lands upon are ones that I have considered for myself, and for which he reveals his own experience and wisdom alongside curated thoughts from great thinkers throughout history. Through its personal reflections set against such philosophies, this book is genuinely revelatory with its lessons of how to live with ourselves, alongside others, and how best to 'be' in the world. I will reflect upon and revisit this tome often, I am certain, for its "glimpses of clarity offered by the gentle untangling of threads". A vital book, then, it gets my highest recommendation.

[Peter Hession · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read. It started off strongly but then fell a bit flat for me towards the middle. Ironically, this was when Derren described the different stories created by a magician performing a trick and a participant in that trick. It finished more strongly when he considered middle and old age. Again ironically, my enjoyment of the book followed a U-shaped curve not unlike the curve of happiness he described in those chapters.

[Wendy Garnham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite a dense read- had to re-read sections to get the gist. Some excellent points made but it felt like hard work to get through this

[Mike Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Book of Secrets: Finding Solace in a Stubborn World" by Derren Brown, with narration by the author himself, is a profound exploration of finding peace and meaning in a complex world. Brown, known for his intellectual depth and captivating stage presence, brings these qualities to his writing, offering a thoughtful and introspective journey through the pages.

In this book, Brown tackles the often difficult quest for personal happiness and fulfilment in a world that can seem unyielding and chaotic. His approach is not about offering easy answers but rather guiding the reader through a nuanced understanding of what it means to find contentment and purpose in life.

What makes this book particularly engaging is Brown's narrative style. His exquisite vocabulary and eloquent delivery, especially in the audiobook version, create an immersive listening experience. It's as if Brown is conversing directly with the listener, sharing insights and reflections that are both personal and universally relevant.

Brown's exploration of themes such as resilience, acceptance, and pursuing a meaningful life is enlightening and comforting. He shares personal anecdotes and philosophical musings that encourage readers to reflect on their lives and find their paths to solace and understanding.

The book is more than a simple guide; it's a deep dive into the human condition, offering wisdom and perspective on navigating life's challenges with grace and introspection. For anyone seeking a thought-provoking and heartfelt guide to living in a stubborn world, "A Book of Secrets" is a must-read. Derren Brown's literal and literary voice adds a layer of intimacy and authenticity to a work that is as enlightening as it is enjoyable.

[Derek Rutherford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book meanders - in subject matter, the writing itself, clarity, enjoyability, and understandability - from the wonderful to the confusing. Derren Brown is a complex character and within this book he reveals a little more of himself than he has done previously.

My main criticisms are the same as for many other reviewers - flowery and obscure language, a lack of good editing, no clear lineage in what he is writing or trying to get across, and a general sense that a few more drafts, some guidance from the publishing company, and avoiding the propensity to show how clever and deep and well read he is, would have all made for a superior book. In the end the result feels like a series of disconnected unedited blog posts riffing on the things that are (clearly) important to Brown. Not a difficult read, because it's so short (and the margins are wide and the text big) but ultimately an unsatisfying one.

That said, there are some life-changing gems in here. Some real thought-provoking stuff. Some magic. I suspect that many of us read this book and say "That's me!" Because, like a good novelist, Derren Brown has the knack of reader identification. His entire career has been about leading people to think a certain way, and he does that well here. So we read this and feel a little less alone, and with a few new tool and techniques to try out as we edge through the latter halves of our lives.

So pretty good, not bad, although a little frustrating, and potential life-changing, or at least enhancing,

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
“Of course, then, we repeat ourselves, and arrive at the same situations again and again. To experience relief from this cycle we need to release the magnetic power of much of the past. Trying slowly to face the future, we acknowledge that despite our feverish goal-setting, we cannot control what lies ahead. More effectively, as we have discussed, our attention must at
some point come to fall gently upon ourselves, and the seeking of an inner congruity which starts within and extends into the relationships of our life. The new orientation is towards growth rather than repetition and regress”

“Ooo, a new book by Brown with a mysterious and enticing title - this will be a good one”… three chapters in…”ahhh… errrm?!”…8 chapters in “aha… I see now…maybe?!”

I’ve followed the career of Brown at a distance with some trepidation of the skills and trickery, but I can’t deny the gentle clever personality that comes through in the books. Wonderfully considered, and even though it felt that this was going a bit of an unusual direction to start with, it soon came back with an awful switch from NY city living and performing to UK lockdown and loss. At times did it feel a bit smug, but again, his honest and out there personality easily nullifies these moments back down to mere descriptors and a yearning to establish connection and setting. Very wordy, but how can any of us stop or question this fabulous confident and composed mind

[David Grimstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was hard going but ultimately worth it. Over the years, Derren Brown has moved away from exposing the often (and surprisingly) mundane mechanics of many of his most astounding feats of magic and misdirection and started to concentrate instead on philosophy and psychology in a very introspective way. This really started in his book ‘Happy’ but is ultimately fleshed out here as he tackles a number of deep and moving subjects, including the meaning of life (largely around the death of his father during the first COVID outbreak) and what tend to be our ultimate goals around relationships, ageing and finding true happiness. This is a really profound book and exceptionally heavy. Derren dramatically changed his narrative voice somewhere after Trick of the Mind and Confessions of a Conjurer, so this one in particular reads like an author taking off his public persona mask and actually writing as the human being beneath it. Powerful stuff and quite upsetting in places but also kinda wonderful.

[Snoakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Book of Secrets is filled with Derren Brown's wisdom and unique insights into how to live a better life.

It builds on the philosophy described in his previous book Happy. He talks about taking stock of life as we approach middle age, and advises refocussing from striving for often unattainable goals to working on our relationships with those around us as a path to fulfilment and contentment. We should not avoid friction and struggle, but instead try to embrace these as a means to growth. He advocates treating both others and our own past selves with kindness and compassion.

His musings are interspersed with anecdotes that lay his own perceived shortcomings bare, making it relatable as well as instructive. Unlike Happy however, it's harder to understand how to apply it all to real life. So, maybe not my favourite Derren Brown book - perhaps because this deeper dive into his philosophy of life demands more of you - but as ever he is insightful, interesting and above all, thought-provoking.

[Craig Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't great for the reasons that you want it to be great.
The secrets are pop psychology and common criticisms against things people believe.
The application of those theories by Brown is beyond average. Some people are good at applying things that they learn and others are better and gaining an in-depth understanding of complex things. Brown's an incredibly skilled applier. ... but none of that would have made the book stand out.... Self-help shelves are full of these kinds of theories.
It was his reflections on mid-life and what Jung coined "the second half of life" that made this book a winner. Brutally honest and full of introspective insight, reflections on how things change at mid-life can be so valuable to read and helpful in understanding my own experience. I recommend reading it for that more so than the magic trick stuff... I guess the real secret revealed in this book is the author's experience of mid-life. It was enjoyable for passing the time. Thanks!

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parts were interesting, parts were self-indulgent, and parts were fundamentally quite dull. In the end I listened to all of it but can recall little of it, and the content that made me think was just too small a proportion of it.

The best section was probably on small talk and how nobody likes it but some can use it well, but the discussion of the exact circumstances of him finding out his father's death and his longed-for identity as an independent artist were too specific to him and didn't justify any connection to general principles for behaviour. The audiobook format allowed Brown to read it in his own voice, which meant its emphasis came through but also meant the more pretentious elements were hammed up considerably, and this tone seems to come across in Brown's non-fiction in general. Unlike in Happy I don't think this hampered the book too much, this was by Brown and about Brown for the most part and the lack of generality was where I found it lacking.