Oliver Burkeman

Oliver Burkeman is an internationally bestselling author and journalist who writes thought-provoking books and articles on topics related to human behavior, personal growth and wellbeing. His works have been translated into over seventeen languages and featured in outlets such as The Guardian, Financial Times, New Scientist and The New York Times. Burkeman is the creator of the successful Happiness Project, which has been lauded as a modern-day self-help book, and has written two best-sellers: The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking, and The Upside of Down Times: An Optimist's Guide to Adversity.

Burkeman was born in London, England in 1979 and raised in a Jewish family. He earned a degree in English from Bristol University, and began his career as a researcher for Prospect magazine and The Guardian newspaper in 2003. Burkeman then spent almost a decade covering a variety of topics, including the burgeoning new food movement and the mind-body connection for The Guardian, as well as writing on science and technology for Wired, Financial Times, New Scientist and The New York Times.

His first book, The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking, was published in 2012 and since then has been celebrated in eighteen countries around the world. The book is an exploration into the concept of using negativism to create a more balanced and healthy mental outlook, and the strategies and techniques involved in this. It has been described by Publishers Weekly as an “emerging classic”.

The beauty of Burkeman's work is his ability to combine skepticism and wisdom, leaving readers with food for thought without providing direct advice or judgement. His second book, The Upside of Down Times: An Optimist's Guide to Adversity, is an exploration of how people can cope and ultimately grow in times of adversity, using lessons from both science and anecdotes.

Burkeman has also branched out into the world of podcasting, creating the Hey, Sigmund Show in 2017. The podcast focuses on in-depth conversations with experts on various self-improvement topics such as anxiety, relationships and happiness, and has had 5 million downloads to date.

Burkeman has amassed an international fanbase for his innovative, thought provoking and often humorous take on the topics of personal growth, wellbeing and human behavior. He continues to write articles for The Guardian and is a member of the Wellcome Trust's panel, providing insights on various mental health issues. Burkeman’s books, articles and podcast are a fantastic way to explore the complexities of human behavior, and he bridges the worlds of psychology and literature in a unique and deeply insightful way.