New book by Ruby Wax announced

As the number one bestselling author is set to appear on BBC1’s Who do You Think You Are?

News for release: Monday 2 October 2017: Penguin Life has announced the new book by number one bestselling author, comedian and leading mental health campaigner, Ruby Wax. In How to Be Human: The Manual, due for publication in January 2018, Wax sets out to answer life’s big questions about what makes us human and how our minds work.

“It took us 4 billion years to evolve to where we are now ‒ completely brilliant and yet, some might say, emotionally dwarfed. The question is: can our more empathetic side catch up in time to save us and the world? I’ve got nothing against smarts, but it’s smarts without emotional awareness that got us into this position of being able to nuke each other into oblivion and rape the earth for oil.”

With a little help from a monk (who tells us how our mind works)  and a neuroscientist (who tells us how our brain works), Ruby Wax answers every question you’ve ever had about:  evolution, thoughts, emotions, the body, addictions, relationships, sex, kids, the future and compassion. Filled with witty anecdotes from Ruby's own life, and backed up by smart science and practical mindfulness exercises, How to be Human is the only manual you need to help you upgrade your mind as much as you’ve upgraded your iPhone.

The announcement coincides with Ruby’s forthcoming episode of Who Do You Think You Are? scheduled for broadcast on BBC1 at 8pm this Wednesday, 4 October. In the episode she learns about the plight of her parents, who fled the Nazis and went to America, an experience she explores in the final chapter of How to be Human. 

Ruby Wax is a comedian and TV writer who also holds a Master's degree in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy from Oxford University. She is the author of the number one bestselling books Sane New World and A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled and was recently awarded an OBE for services to mental health. Wax is also the founder of Frazzled Café, a ‘talk-in’ place where people who are feeling frazzled can meet on a regular basis and share their personal stories in a safe, anonymous and non-judgmental environment, currently being rolled out in M&S cafes.

For further information about Ruby Wax, Frazzled Café and Ruby Wax: Frazzled autumn tour visit http://www.rubywax.net and follow on Twitter @rubywax or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RubyWaxOfficial/

For all media enquiries please contact Annabel Robinson at FMcM on 020 7405 7422 or email annabelr@fmcm.co.uk