{"id":122616,"date":"2020-04-03T12:31:16","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T01:31:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/?p=122616"},"modified":"2020-04-08T12:21:34","modified_gmt":"2020-04-08T01:21:34","slug":"review-phosphorescence-by-julia-baird","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/2020\/04\/03\/review-phosphorescence-by-julia-baird\/","title":{"rendered":"REVIEW: Phosphorescence by Julia Baird"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Phosphorescence<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Phosphorescence<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, by the always wonderful Julia Baird, is a masterful mix of science and psychology journalism, personal development book and memoir. Although I\u2019ve found it difficult to describe to friends at times, it is not at all a difficult read.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Julia<\/a>

Julia Baird<\/p><\/div>\n

The book takes as its jumping off point the idea that the very human experience of awe and wonder is good for you – good for your health, general wellbeing, ethics, and your spirit too. I\u2019m not usually one for anything even mildly woo woo so I was grateful for the practical, no-nonsense diversions into solid pop science territory, where Dr Baird meanders delightfully through study after study backing up her points.<\/p>\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t to say that the writing is in any way workmanlike or sterile. The prose can even be quite lyrical, not shying away from describing anything from the beauty of a sunrise (\u201cIn Australia, the dawn is an arsonist who pours petrol along the horizon, throws a match on it and watches it burn”) to medical trauma (\u201cthose millions of us with cracked hearts, battered bodies, blackened brains\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book is, in some ways, a reaction to Dr Baird\u2019s own medical ordeal. After being diagnosed with cancer several years ago, she has gone through a number of extremely traumatic surgeries to remove a tumour that ended up being the size of a basketball lodged in her abdomen. One gets the impression that this experience turned the author into a philosopher – and not in a bad way. At times the book seems to be trying desperately to communicate greater wisdom to the next generation (two chapters are addressed directly to her two children). It wasn\u2019t a surprise to learn that she wrote parts of the book between surgeries and while recovering from her last, without knowing for sure whether she would recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phosphorescence<\/em> is a surprise and a delight wrapped in a frankly gorgeous cover, and I\u2019d have no hesitation in recommending it to virtually anyone. However, if you liked First, We Make the Beast Beautiful<\/em> by Sarah Wilson or Any Ordinary Day<\/em> by Leigh Sales then this book will find a special place on your bookshelf (and in your mind) for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

—Phosphorescence<\/a> <\/em>by Julia Baird (HarperCollins Australia) is out now.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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