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Stolen Focus
- Why You Can't Pay Attention
- Narrated by: Johann Hari
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
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Stolen Focus
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Summary
Bloomsbury presents Stolen Focus by Johann Hari, read by Johann Hari.
Why have we lost our ability to focus? What are the causes? And, most importantly, how do we get it back?
For Stolen Focus, internationally best-selling author Johann Hari went on a three-year journey to uncover the reasons why our teenagers now focus on one task for only 65 seconds, and why office workers on average manage only three minutes. He interviewed the leading experts in the world on attention and learned that everything we think about this subject is wrong.
We think our inability to focus is a personal failing—a flaw in each one of us. It is not. This has been done to all of us by powerful external forces. Our focus has been stolen. Johann discovered there are 12 deep cases of this crisis, all of which have robbed some of our attention. He shows us how in a thrilling journey that ranges from Silicon Valley dissidents, to a favela in Rio where attention vanished, to an office in New Zealand that found a remarkable way to restore our attention.
Crucially, he learned how—as individuals and as a society—we can get our focus back, if we are determined to fight for it.
Critic reviews
"Johann Hari writes like a dream. He’s both lyricist and storyteller—but also an indefatigable investigator of one of the world’s greatest problems: the systematic destruction of our attention. Read this book to save your mind." (Susan Cain)
"A really important book.... Everyone should read it." (Philippa Perry)
"A beautifully researched and argued exploration of the breakdown of humankind's ability to pay attention." (Stephen Fry)
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What listeners say about Stolen Focus
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Vanessa Higgins
- 10-01-22
One of the most important books of this time!
I have been suspecting something has been very wrong and this book has confirmed it all and given me real support in rectifying the problem and reclaiming my own mind! Thank you Johann for bringing this into our awareness and offering real solutions.
The reflections you have given on how change has been made in the past has given me so much hope that we can change the current systems and we can create a better world for ourselves.
May this book reach far and wide!
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14 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 23-05-23
Thought provoking
Loved this book, insightful, bringing an interesting and valid perspective on focus, or loss of. Something I've been struggling with for a while but it's certainly given me some food for thought
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1 person found this helpful
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- Millie
- 18-05-23
Interesting , motivating and thought provoking
This book is really interesting. Very clearly presented with a good pace. Very thought provoking and motivating
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1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 25-01-22
Enlightening, honest, terrifying
Brilliant book into a timely subject that deserves all our attention. Sadly it’s also a time when our attention is under massive strain due to the massive economic and technological trends shaping our lives.
Really enjoyed the depth of research and honest accounts on areas that are on the fence. Also appreciated the connection to other important macro issues like climate change, destruction of unions and economic growth.
We need to read this, get on the streets, talk about a solution and ban surveillance capitalism.
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- L.w
- 31-01-22
A must read for anyone!
Johann’s well researched adventure into why we can’t focus is not only insightful, it’s life changing. Understanding why we can’t focus can help us get back on top, cut out the time wasting activities we don’t really need and improve our focus for the better!
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- Viktor Kazinec
- 26-01-22
A must read
A brilliant and very important book. Discusses one of the key challenges of the 21st century, very well written and easy to listen
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- Katherine Ferguson
- 05-03-22
Attention rebellion
Thanks for sharing your experience and all the research you have done in the past 2 years. Great 6 steps to start changing. I will try to apply them myself. #attentionrebellion
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- Kel
- 10-02-22
What a book!!!
Absolutely LOVED this book, it scared the hell out of me but opened my eyes massively. Is recommend it to anyone and think everyone should actually read it. Johann also reads it in a lovely way, you can hear the passion in his wonderful voice.
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- Heather Matuozzo
- 06-03-22
So insightful
A superbly researched book that really wakes you up to the slow drip feed of manipulative technogy. My notifications are off and I'm better for it. Trying to monotask too...
I do love Johans's style.
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- MISS C.
- 14-05-22
A must read/listen!
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Well worth your time, and potentially life changing if you want it to be...
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