The expedition was motivated by survival on two fronts. I want to understand what's happening so I can get better, but it was also like, you know what? Journalism is what I do. And this is what's going to help me feel like I'm surviving in a more metaphysical way. This is who I am. Retaining your own sense of individual purpose and fulfilling a mission on your own. So where did they start? How did this expedition begin? It starts out somewhat accidentally.
Science writer Florence Williams felt blindsided when her twenty-five-year marriage unexpectedly fell apart. The heartbreak opened her up to a whole range of new and intense feelings, but it also made her sick. Trained as a journalist, Florence set out on an expedition to understand the science of heartbreak and game her way back to health. She tried novel forms of therapy, immersed herself in nature, and consulted cutting-edge research on the science of awe. But her greatest discovery came when she tried an alternative to “hacking” heartbreak.
If you’re interested in hearing more of Florence’s story, listen to “Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey,” a uniquely immersive audiobook, narrated by the author and accompanied by in-the-moment diary recordings and interviews.
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