DISCONNECTED ✸ Complete Digital Edition
DISCONNECTED ✸ Complete Digital Edition - Image 2
DISCONNECTED ✸ Complete Digital Edition - Image 3
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DISCONNECTED ✸ Complete Digital Edition

$9.99

(647 customer reviews)

Why are we more connected than ever—yet more disconnected from ourselves?

In Disconnected, Melvin Poh explores how happiness, selfhood, connection, and understanding are quietly eroding in the digital age—and how philosophy offers a way back to meaning.

With philosophical clarity and intellectual depth, this book invites readers to reclaim presence in a world that’s lost its sense of thoughtfulness.

This digital edition is formatted for modern reading—beautiful, accessible, and delivered instantly worldwide.

Each Digital Edition includes:

  • Full 320-page version in high-resolution PDF
  • Instantly delivered to your inbox
  • Compatible with all phones, tablets, and laptops
  • Carefully formatted for immersive digital reading
  • Personally issued in your name

For thinkers who want depth—without waiting.

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Category:

Description

In a world of infinite information and constant interaction, something essential is slipping away.
We scroll, post, reply… and yet we find ourselves more fragmented, overstimulated, and quietly unfulfilled.

Disconnected is a book about that erosion—of happiness, connection and understanding—and what it takes to reclaim meaning in the age of distraction.

Written over three years, philosopher and public intellectual Melvin Poh offers a serious inquiry into what it means to live, think, and feel in a hyperconnected world.

Drawing from ancient philosophy and deep intellectual insights, he explores how we’ve lost connection with ourselves—and how philosophy can offer us a way back.

From the illusion of progress to the performance of happiness, from digital fatigue to the quiet crisis of identity, Disconnected does not offer solutions—it offers something rarer: clarity and a call to rediscover the depth we’ve traded for convenience.

This is not a self-help book.

It is a philosophical map back to meaning, purpose, and presence—written to be reflected on, not rushed through.

The Digital Edition

The Digital Edition offers deep wisdom in a format that meets the way we read today.

It is beautifully formatted for phones, tablets, and laptops, and delivered instantly, anywhere in the world.
Each copy is personally issued in your name to be reflected upon at your own pace.

This edition is for readers who value clarity, access, and immediacy—and who want to carry empirical thoughts wherever they go.

Be part of the philosophical revolution that’s reshaping how we think, live, and see the world.

647 reviews for DISCONNECTED ✸ Complete Digital Edition

  1. Kimberly Tai –

    The writing style is calm and raw which I really appreciated. Thank you Melvin for this and for your videos. You make a difference to me. -Kim

  2. Carmen Chua –

    Reading this. Feels like something I’ll keep next to my journal.

  3. Ying Yue –

    Only read the intro but already loving it, good job melvin! I bought it immediatley when u releasing it.

  4. Ho Min –

    Wow! I am already excited to go through it.

  5. Marcus Lee –

    Not bad at all.

  6. Hiroshi Ca –

    Congrats Mr Melvin! Thank you for all your hard work!

  7. Darren Ho –

    Just starting to read it. The concepts are interesting. I like how you didnt make it too complex. Looking forward to diving deeper!

  8. Rita Wong –

    Congratualtiosn on relasing the book Melvin! I am enjoying it so far!!

  9. Mika Lee –

    Dear Melvin. I don’t know if you ever read my message but I want to thank you for the work you do. I enjoy your videos. When your book come out, I buy it even though I don’t read because I want to show my gratitude. Thank you!

  10. Heidi Sum –

    This is such an exciting project. I like the topic very much and I think its important.

  11. Sarah Tan –

    So far, the book is everything I hoped for. Congratulations!

  12. Vivian Chan –

    Hi Melvin! Love what you do. I bought and read it. Such an exciting start. I can already tell this is going to be a deep read.

  13. Eunice Lau –

    The first few pages are incredibly engaging. Can’t wait to read more and see where you take it! Btw, I dont know why but I can only download one time?

  14. Xin Yi –

    Hi Melvin. Big fan of your work. Buy it when you announce it. Now I read. I’m already underlining key ideas. Tq!!!

  15. Chun Kit –

    The writing is so smooth and the ideas are already making me reflect on my own life. Definitely on the right track!

  16. Fiona Leong –

    Absolutely loving the start of this book! So far, it’s exactly what I needed to read right now.

  17. Zhang Rui –

    Have you considered making a movie?

  18. Grace Toh –

    I like how its deep but also not too complicated. Good balance! Good job!

  19. Leon Lim –

    You’ve captured my attention immediately, Melvin. The writing is sharp, but sometimes the concepts already challenging me.

  20. Amanda Yuen –

    I am a fan of your work melvin!

  21. Daniel Koh –

    Only just started, but I can tell this is going to be one of those books I won’t forget anytime soon.

  22. Pei Nee –

    Melvin, you’ve done something beautiful. Thank you.

  23. Emily Chan –

    Just started reading. I’m enjoying it. Good job mel.

  24. Ivan Leung –

    Wow! I didn’t know you have a book! Take my card!!

  25. Chloe Lim –

    Was so excited when I saw this. Bought immediately. 🙂

  26. Kenji Wong –

    Brilliantly written. Well done!!!

  27. Sakura Nakamura –

    I didn’t know what to expect originally. But I didn’t expect this hahaha.

  28. Rachel Chua –

    This deserves all the recognition. I’m sure it wasn’t easy to write a book.

  29. Maychee –

    Certain lines stayed with me… One of the few books I ame xcited to ifnish this year.

  30. Rachel Mi Sua –

    Started reading this on evening and didn’t expect it. Was quite great to read.

  31. Joey Ng –

    I think its cool to raed when I dont really read that much anymore.

  32. Wei Han –

    Maybe after I read tbis I will find some connection again.

  33. Jonathan Lim –

    Congratulations Melvin! I support!

  34. Jing Xuan –

    I think its a good idea to ask ourself whether there is too much progress in this world that is not for our own good.

  35. Terence Ong –

    I started reading already but will you have an audio book soon?

  36. Yvonne Toh –

    I have watched your video since 2024. I am so excited for this one. THank you and here is a review.

  37. Wei Xuan –

    It’s early days, but the concepts you’re introducing are already making me think differently.

  38. Jasper Lau –

    Can’t wait to see where this goes!

  39. Eileen Phua –

    Just starting, but I can already tell this will be a book I’ll keep coming back to for reference.

  40. Bella –

    So far, this book is living up to all the hype. Melvin, you’ve really crafted something powerful.

  41. Samantha Kwan –

    This is exactly what I’ve been searching for. Early chapters have me hooked and thinking deeply.

  42. Aisyah Rahman –

    This book challenges everything you think you knowed about modern life. Powerful.

  43. Carmen Lau –

    Congrats! You’ve outdone yourself, Melvin.

  44. Farah Aziz –

    Been following your journey Melvin. This book is a milestone.

  45. Sheryl Liew –

    Love it.

  46. Wei Ting –

    I bought the ebook and found myself highlighting more than I usually do.

  47. Cheryl Tan –

    Not bad at all for a first time writer. Some parts are really deep.

  48. Nicholas Wong –

    The ideas are a bit difficult sometimes. Not for everyone, but I like it overall.

  49. Tracy Teo –

    What a interesting concept for why you wanted to write this Melvin. Was it because the 1 minute videos are too short?

  50. Samantha Kwan –

    Not dramatic. Honest. Humble. Interesting approach.

  51. Bryan Choo –

    I’ve been watching his videos for a long time and this book carries the same voice, serious and sincere.

  52. Mei Lin –

    I didn’t agree with everything in Chapter 3 but I respected the honesty in how it was written.

  53. Amanda Yuen –

    The book is wrote in a very personal style and has some stories but I would enjoy it more if it was better format.

  54. Yvonne Toh –

    Nice.

  55. Ivy Goh –

    Early chapters are already blowing my mind! This is going to be one of those books I keep going back to.

  56. Yun Hao –

    A bit difficult for me to understand.

  57. Yu Chen –

    Nice!

  58. Natsuki Mori –

    So far, this is everything I hoped for and more. Can’t wait to read more!

  59. Jonathan Lim –

    This book is off to an incredible start! I’m already seeing so many connections to my own life.

  60. Terence Ong –

    First few chapters in, and I’m already hooked. This is going to be a must-read!

  61. Min Chen –

    Please write more book.

  62. Fiona Leong –

    The beginning is so gripping! I feel like I’ve already learned something valuable.

  63. Jia Wen –

    I’m only a few pages in, but this is already one of my favorite reads this year.

  64. Mina Ahmi –

    You’ve brought your signature style to this one, Melvin.

  65. Wei Ting –

    Congratulations on your launch! Early chapters are definitely living up to the hype.

  66. Kaori Y –

    Definitely excited to reading!

  67. Jing Xuan –

    Melvin, you’ve really captured my attention.

  68. Leon Lim –

    Congratulations Melvin. I bought your book because I always appreciated your work.

  69. Michelle Lau –

    Love the topic. Btw I think you are very handsome Melvin.

  70. Nicholas Wong –

    I can already tell this book would make me rethink a lot of things.

  71. Rachel Ng –

    GREAT JOB!!!

  72. Desmond Koh –

    Just started, but the first chapters have already given me so much to ponder. Melvin, this is amazing!

  73. Jenna –

    You’ve really drawn me in, Melvin.

  74. Xin Na –

    So glad you write this book! I cant wait to receivd it.

  75. Mina Ong –

    Just started. Not bad!

  76. Cheryl Tan –

    Big fan of Melvin’s work for a long time now.

  77. Demon Boy –

    I wish more people are like you because I think we need more books not more nonsense.

  78. Min Chen –

    Very nicely done Melvin. I only read 2 chapters so far but I am enjoying it. Thank you.

  79. Zhang Rui –

    I bought the ebook and I think a lot of people need something like this even if they don’t realise it yet.

  80. Wei Han –

    I think its important to reflect after we realise that we live in a very challenging world so I agree with the ideas.

  81. Aini Bejo –

    Got me hooked.

  82. Alvin Goh –

    I am sure thjis will be a great book.

  83. Ying Yue –

    A truly exciting read so far. Melvin, you’re really showing your depth as a writer!

  84. Grace Toh –

    I wish I had more space to write a long review but I just completed the beginning chapters. I loved it. Thank you for writing this Melin

  85. Selena Ting –

    Why dont you read to me in bed?

  86. Marina –

    Already loving the tone and message of the book. It’s giving me a lot to think about!

  87. Chun Kit –

    Nice nice nice

  88. Joon Ho –

    Cant wait

  89. Pah Ing –

    Thank you.

  90. Kenji –

    I’m only a few pages in, and I’m already blown away by how relatable and real this feels.

  91. Pei Ling –

    Melvin I’m sorry but I think its a bit hard to understand compare to your normal video

  92. Vincent Leow –

    Hmmm. I dont know

  93. Yee Ling –

    A compelling start.

  94. Jia Wen –

    I’m already feeling so many emotions from the early chapters. This book is a journey I’m ready for.

  95. Michelle Lau –

    The first few pages are so full of wisdom. I can’t wait to see where this takes me!

  96. Alex Cheng –

    The writing is on point, and the themes are already speaking to me. Can’t wait to read more!

  97. Jun Jie –

    Excited to ifnish this!

  98. Kelvin Tan –

    A big fan of your work Melvin so thank you for eveyrthing.

  99. Hao Ran –

    This book is already making me think in new ways. The first chapters have set a high bar!

  100. Ethan Lee –

    Mm is it odd that I feel sometimes uncomfortable but I needed it.

  101. Hikaru Takahashi –

    I can see this being a good project. Congratulations!

  102. Nico Fujiwara –

    From Malaysia and just want to say I’m proud this came from here.

  103. Hikaru Toh –

    Congrats Melvin! You made philosophy cool.

  104. Sakura Miyazaki –

    Absolutely loved it. Learned so much in just the first few chapters.

  105. Leon Koo –

    Your words came at a time I needed them most. Thank you.

  106. Aya Fujiwara –

    Huge congratulations, Melvin. Your work is changing lives!

  107. Jun Watanabe –

    Philosophy finally made personal and practical. This is special.

  108. Hikaru Ng –

    A gem. I couldn’t stop underlining things! Thanks Mel. Love your videos btw!

  109. Yuto Matsuda –

    My first real encounter with philosophy and I’m hooked.

  110. Hikaru Hashimoto –

    You put into words what I’ve been feeling for years. Thank you.

  111. Mei Teo –

    Feels like a story book.

  112. Min Hashimoto –

    Brilliant. Nicely done!

  113. Kenji Hashimoto –

    Just wanted to say congrats! this is more than a book, it’s a gift.

  114. Yuki Ito –

    Wasn’t expecting to read this year, but I was.

  115. Haruto Ong –

    I feel like I am seeing your heart inside out.

  116. Shiori Watanabe –

    Each page holds insight. Melvin, you’ve got a gift. Thanks a lot! Love from Norway.

  117. Shiori Yamamoto –

    Already bought another one for a friend. That says everything.

  118. Leon Matsuda –

    Quite profound. Not bad for first time writing.

  119. Aya Fujiwara –

    I think I wanted to say that you turned something interesting from your work.

  120. Suda –

    Congratz!

  121. Zen Chew –

    I found myself underlining every other sentence.

  122. Cheung M –

    LOVELY!

  123. Hannah H –

    A modern book that revives old concepts.

  124. Haruna Ooi –

    I’m halfway through love it.

  125. Marki Lau –

    So real. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

  126. Ong Susan –

    I love it. Its a great book.

  127. Peter Lau –

    I couldn’t stop reading. Finished in one week.

  128. Hieme –

    Every chapter felt like a personal conversation from him.

  129. Emir Syazwan –

    Nice writing. Been awhile.

  130. Pang Yi –

    Beautifully written and deeply insightful.

  131. Lee Cham –

    Hey Melvin, just wanted to say thank you for putting this out.

  132. Pingu Lee –

    A great job in covering philosophy in such a personal way.

  133. Angie Chu –

    Hopefully I can find my reconnection again.

  134. Ayuni –

    Finished reading it on Monday. Still thinking about it.

  135. Nina Lim –

    I felt quite touched when I bought it. I wonder the journey you took to write it Melvin.

  136. Siti Toh –

    Great book!

  137. Mei Ching Ying –

    Good. Write a second one.

  138. Angie Yap –

    Melvin, you surprised me with your writing.

  139. Telena –

    I feel that this should be in all the bookstores.

  140. Rachel Tan –

    It made me journal. That says a lot.

  141. Toana Mo –

    Beautiful. Deep. Retalable.

  142. Eunice –

    I don’t really know what to say but thankn you.

  143. Himi N –

    Short, reflective, and exactly what I needed.

  144. Kelvin Goh –

    Hi Melvin! Just finished it. You should keep writing.

  145. Farah Siti –

    You are handsome. You are smart. You are doing a good thing.

  146. Susu Lim –

    If you are looking for a kind of book that gives you many things to think about. I think this is it.

  147. Jian Hao Teow –

    Very insightful.

  148. Janice Lee –

    Nothing more fulfilling than finding out that we are feeling the same thing.

  149. Wee Toh –

    Hey Melvin don’t think I will see many things the same again.

  150. H M Cheng –

    There’s honesty in this book that I rarely find in modern writing. Thanks melvin.

  151. Haruil Mohd –

    I didn’t expect a book on philosophy to be so relatable. Usually they are quite boring.

  152. Mukdin Leong –

    An essential read for anyone feeling disconnected.

  153. Chew Beng –

    This book giivng me clarity during a confusing period of my life.

  154. Mah Yun –

    Just finished it. Wow. Simply wow.

  155. Gwendolyn –

    Big follower of your work Melvin!

  156. Meng –

    Thank you melvin!

  157. Wei Ni –

    A beautiful reminder to slow down.

  158. Amir Ng –

    Congrats. Feels like one of those things that you will need to read a few times.

  159. Isiah Nur –

    Deep thoughts like Melvin’s usual styles.

  160. Michelle Teh –

    Good attempt. Not the best but well done.

  161. Kaining –

    Can you tell me why you decided to write this?

  162. Marc Ho –

    Love it.

  163. Ming Wang –

    Impressively done!

  164. Joseph Lam –

    Thank you Melvin!

  165. Mei Mak –

    Every morning I read a few pages with my coffee. It calms me.

  166. Amir Toh –

    Finished it in two sittings. Amazing book!

  167. Timothee Cia –

    This is my new ritual now.

  168. Kenneth Hoh –

    I didnt know I wanteed to read something like this.

  169. Douglas Foo –

    For first time writer, good job.

  170. Rachel Mak –

    An essential read for anyone feeling disconnected.

  171. Clara Kwan –

    Congratulations Melvin.

  172. Natasha Ki –

    I passed this book to my son because I think he needs it. Thanks for inspriing us Melvin.

  173. Jayden Chew –

    Not a academic type. More like a story type but with academic stuff in it too.

  174. Sabriena Omar –

    I felt sad reading it because it reminded me of my father.

  175. Alicia Lee –

    My favorite is Chapter 5. That is exactly what Im going through now.

  176. Alicia Chew –

    I am glad it is in PDF format befcause its easy for me to read.

  177. Sima Yee –

    It helped me during a hard week. I’m grateful.

  178. Hui Min Cheng –

    Hi Melvin I didnt know I like philosophy until I bought your book.

  179. Mak Ching –

    Melvin’s words have a strength. It stays with you.

  180. Amanda Leong –

    I’ve started keeping a journal again after reading this.

  181. Zeng Wan –

    A rare one.

  182. Daneil Leung –

    The pace, the tone, the reflections, all nice.

  183. Heem Sap –

    I felt like I wasn’t alone for once. That meant everything.

  184. Popi –

    I couldn’t stop thinking about the chapter on solitude.

  185. Yusuf Helmi –

    Finally someone put my thoughts into words!!!

  186. Janet Goh –

    Nice writing.

  187. Syahida –

    This reminded me why I fell in love with reading years ago.

  188. Wei Neoh –

    I decided to read this because my best freind pass away

  189. Nelson Hee –

    I think you can consifer writing another sequel.

  190. Elisabeth Tan –

    Quietly changed how I see my relationships and connection today.

  191. Brandon Yeo –

    Accessible without being simplistic. That’s hard to do.

  192. Elaine Cheong –

    I’ve never highlighted so many sentences in a book before.

  193. Ravi Mazlan –

    A rare mix of grace and depth.

  194. Quek Hew –

    I wasn’t bored once. It kept pulling me in.

  195. Changzi –

    The writing is calm, confident, and rich in insight.

  196. Yuenleong –

    Finished in three days. The ideas linger long after.

  197. Norizan Wan –

    The tone is humble, the message is big.

  198. Zachary Seng –

    Very needed in today’s noisy world.

  199. Yasmin Nazri –

    Hits different when you read it at night.

  200. Owen Lau –

    It’s now one of my go-to gifts for thoughtful friends.

  201. Sora Fong –

    Subtle, elegant, and deeply moving.

  202. Chong chong –

    Truly makes philosophy feel personal, not abstract.

  203. Sylvia Liew –

    I didn’t love every page, but the ones I did stuck with me.

  204. Faisal Phua –

    I think I read the last chapter three times.

  205. Sora –

    A thoughtful and poetic reflection on modern life. It challenged how I view technology and self-worth.

  206. Pei Wen Mah –

    Brought clarity to some things I’ve been struggling to articulate.

  207. Leon Chai –

    Finished it and immediately passed it to my brother.

  208. Leanne Bahari –

    Feels timeless. Could’ve been written ten years ago or yesterday.

  209. Ryota Chang –

    A companion for anyone navigating a noisy world.

  210. Syuraidal –

    This isn’t a book to rush through. It’s one to savour.

  211. Eng Hwa Chee –

    It speaks to modern burnout without preaching.

  212. Khai Seow –

    Helped me reconnect with stillness.

  213. Alvin Chua –

    Each chapter like a soft nudge to pay attention.

  214. Calvin Lau –

    Beautiful in its simplicity.

  215. Siang Abe –

    It’s rare to find a book that blends accessibility with depth. Highly recommend.

  216. Terence –

    This book was a mirror at times uncomfortable, but always honest.

  217. Sean Lim –

    I felt like I was being mentored by a wise older friend.

  218. Kenta Fong –

    Melvin writes like someone who’s walked the walk.

  219. Vanessa Shahril –

    Very introspective. Reminded me of why I used to love reading.

  220. Sora Chong –

    An antidote to the chaos of social media.

  221. Ashraf Quek –

    Short but deep. Each page left something behind.

  222. Ren –

    This made me want to delete all my apps and just sit with myself.

  223. Daniel Chan –

    Made me stop scrolling and actually reflect for once.

  224. Yeo Liang Koh –

    A friend recommended this, and I’m glad they did.

  225. Kara Chong –

    Made me slow down and reflect in the best way.

  226. Zachary Goh –

    Not life-changing, but definitely life-pausing.

  227. Aiden Lim –

    Like a conversation with someone who sees through the noise.

  228. Yuri –

    Read it in silence—and it amplified my thoughts.

  229. Phoebe Hew –

    Gently provokes thought instead of forcing it.

  230. Isabelle Heng –

    My thoughts felt clearer after each chapter.

  231. Tobi –

    Each chapters left me with a quiet sense of clarity. I’ll be rereading this.

  232. Zhen Ong –

    It asks questions that stay with you.

  233. Ming Ooi –

    Not what I expected, but exactly what I needed.

  234. Yasmin Boey –

    Like having a quiet, intelligent conversation with someone wiser than you.

  235. Bella Ahmad –

    Didn’t know I needed it until I read it.

  236. Imeh –

    Not just another self-help book. This one actually makes you think.

  237. Kimi To –

    Quiet wisdom wrapped in beautiful prose.

  238. Vera Cheong –

    Clear, engaging, and layered. It’s not often you find all three.

  239. Gan Wei Mah –

    A subtle kind of profound.

  240. Ming Hew –

    Not academic, not basic—just right.

  241. Ravi Hoo –

    This book is a reminder to slow down.

  242. Kelvin Low –

    It gave me a kind of peace I didn’t know I was looking for.

  243. Xin Rui Chew –

    A little dense in parts, but rewarding if you stick with it.

  244. Mei Ling Lee –

    There’s something very grounding about this book. Loved it.

  245. Terence Ng –

    If you’ve ever felt burnt out, this book understands you.

  246. Norizan Phua –

    Some parts were a bit repetitive, but the overall message resonated.

  247. Reina Tan –

    It’s well-paced. Doesn’t try to impress. Just honest.

  248. Sylvia Rahman –

    I wasn’t expecting to reflect on myself so much.

  249. Xue Ting Rahman –

    The writing doesn’t try to be clever. That’s why it works.

  250. Bryan Seng –

    The kind of book you want to gift to someone you care about.

  251. Jolene Leow –

    Unexpectedly comforting. I found myself smiling alone.

  252. Xue Ting Ahmad –

    Surprisingly emotional. I didn’t expect to relate so much.

  253. Melvin Sim –

    It’s not loud or flashy, but that’s what makes it powerful.

  254. Tracy Seow –

    Quiet and slow, but in a good way. Like meditation in words.

  255. Marcus Sim –

    Not all chapters hit, but the ones that did hit hard.

  256. Oscar Lau –

    I came in skeptical, but left convinced.

  257. Wayne Gan –

    Strong start, slightly weaker middle, but a beautiful end.

  258. Nara Fong –

    Hi Melvin. I made so many ntoes. So many pages were bookmarked. I’ll be returning to them often.

  259. Alvin Chee –

    One of the few books I’ve finished in a single weekend.

  260. Ismail Liew –

    Made me want to write again.

  261. Umar Mak –

    Feels like it was written for people who are tired of how everything no meaning.

  262. Qistina Hew –

    Bought it on a whim. Best decision this month.

  263. Indra Chong –

    I finsihed it within 4 weeks! Thats my fastest yet.

  264. Nadia Roslan –

    The kind of clarity you don’t find often.

  265. Kelvin Foo –

    I want to re-read it already.

  266. Gan Wei Koh –

    Congratualtions melvin.

  267. Xiang Seow –

    Wasn’t expecting to cry. But I did.

  268. Melvin Khoo –

    I felt less alone after finishing this book.

  269. Caleb Mak –

    The most useful book I’ve read this year. But also the only one I bought.

  270. Gavin Tan –

    Helped me slow down. That alone makes it worth it.

  271. Tanisha Liew –

    Solid, clear, and not trying to be clever. Just honest.

  272. Vera Kamal –

    I bought it because the cover intrigued me. The content was even better.

  273. Hui Xuan Rashid –

    If hyou read it, youi will know how good it is.

  274. Hui Xuan Mak –

    Pure reflection on every page.

  275. Caleb Pang –

    Perfect for reading one chapter each night before bed.

  276. Elaine Quek –

    Grounded, wise, and quietly beautiful. One of the best books I’ve read this year.

  277. Denise Quek –

    Very very deep and profound.

  278. Vera Foo –

    This isn’t a book. It’s like a bible.

  279. Marcus Sulaiman –

    I highlighted more than I usually do.

  280. Indra Khoo –

    You feel like the author has lived what they’re saying.

  281. Denise Chua –

    I feel you are speakiong to me.

  282. Eugene Loke –

    Doesn’t preach. Just offers perspective.

  283. Gerald Foo –

    Direct and nice.

  284. Wen Jie Chan –

    Complex ideas explained so well. Like Melvin style.

  285. Phoebe Chong –

    I feel like I am going through your life with you melvin

  286. Yi Lin Lee –

    Exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

  287. Gan Wei Chua –

    One of the few books I read without multitasking.

  288. Ronald Yap –

    This book woke me up. It reminded me how important silence is.

  289. Faisal Sim –

    Clear, clean, and human.

  290. Joanne Seow –

    I love this book.

  291. Vera Chan –

    Takes its time. But the msg is strong. I like it.

  292. Pei Ling Low –

    The writing is stripped of ego. It just wants to connect with you.

  293. Xiang Hew –

    Made me rethink how I spend my mornings haha. Thank you?

  294. Valerie Lau –

    Great!

  295. Faisal Seow –

    This isn’t a motivational book. It’s more like sitting with an old friend who sees through you.

  296. Lydia Lim –

    The right kind of thinking for this time we live in.

  297. Alvin Salleh –

    Personal without being self-indulgent.

  298. Tanisha Mak –

    Makes you want to be more intentional with everything.

  299. Wayne Loke –

    Gifted this to my mentor. He loved it too.

  300. Phoebe Ong –

    Wish I had read this when I was 25.

  301. Xinyi Tan –

    Each chapter spoke to a part of me I hadn’t accessed in a long time.

  302. Xiang Chong –

    Some parts hit too close to home. In a good way.

  303. Aqil Fong –

    Helped me process some thoughts I hadn’t made time for.

  304. Yi Lin Tan –

    Every time I picked this up, I found something useful to carry into my day.

  305. Natalie Khoo –

    One of those books that hits the way that hits.

  306. Jasmine Ong –

    Wrote three journal pages after finishing one chapter.

  307. Bella Pang –

    An emotional detox in paper form.

  308. Pei Ling Tan –

    I kept stopping to write in my journal while reading it.

  309. Adrian Loke –

    It’s the kind of book that helps you confront yourself gently.

  310. Liyana Ng –

    I was not expecting to reflect as deeply as I did.

  311. Jasmine Low –

    Effortlessly good.

  312. Hazel Lau –

    Nothing fancy. Just depth.

  313. Vera Toh –

    Made me want to write again. Will you buy my book too Melvin?

  314. Wen Jie Mak –

    Underlined something on almost every page.

  315. Marcus Tan –

    Surprisignly I actually experience many things you have experienced too.

  316. Cheryl Low –

    You read it once, and keep thinking about it after.

  317. Lydia Lee –

    Started off slow, but kept building and deepening.

  318. Sylvia Lee –

    I didn’t rush through this. Thats a surprise to me.

  319. Joanne Kamal –

    This has been such a calming experience.

  320. Bernice Goh –

    This is a book that is both serious but also not serious at the same time. Rare right?

  321. Hazel Pang –

    He is a good writer I can say that.

  322. Alvin Chan –

    Exactly what I needed without knowing it.

  323. Marcus Roslan –

    Very grounding to read.

  324. Tanisha Ong –

    Insightful if you have the right perspective.

  325. Xiang Seow –

    Great job!

  326. Qi Wei Mansor –

    This is a book that I will definitely re-read again.

  327. Gavin Gan –

    Not preachy at all. I like it.

  328. Caleb Koh –

    I expected philosophy. I got clarity. I got wisdom.

  329. Tracy Rashid –

    I highlighted something on almost every page.

  330. Isaac Mak –

    Doesn’t try too hard. That’s why it works.

  331. Tanisha Loke –

    I want to restart again in my life, thanks for giving me some vision.

  332. Wayne Quek –

    Didn’t expect to love it. But I did.

  333. Yasmin Lee –

    Read it, reread it, and gave it away. Now I need a new copy.

  334. Jasmine Yap –

    Honest, grounded, and refreshingly free of clichés.

  335. Eugene Zulkifli –

    Finished it. Loved it!

  336. Elaine Lee –

    If you are looking for answers then maybe you are looking for this book.

  337. Kelvin Fong –

    Feels like life is not as simple as we think.

  338. Gerald Low –

    Each chapter brings a different conclusion. Good job Melvin!

  339. Natalie Chong –

    Clear, mature, and quietly bold.

  340. Gerald Sim –

    If you feel overwhelmed, this book might help.

  341. Rachel Fadzil –

    The kind of book I wish I wrote.

  342. Ronald Chee –

    Like talking to a wise friend at 3AM. Or I can say like the extended version of Melvin’s videos

  343. Adrian Ng –

    Balanced, clean, intentional writing.

  344. Denise Bakri –

    Good writing Melvin, sending love from India.

  345. Umar Ong –

    Very reflective writing from Melvin Poh.

  346. Zachary Chong –

    I want to know what I want to know. You know?

  347. Adrian Khoo –

    Short, sharp, and gently unsettling.

  348. Natalie Foo –

    There’s an honesty here that’s hard to find.

  349. Phoebe Chua –

    Helped me think about things I’ve been avoiding.

  350. Eugene Jamal –

    I can say wise book!

  351. Phoebe Rashid –

    You finish this book a bit slower than when you started.

  352. Rachel Tan –

    I am happy.

  353. Belinda Hew –

    I feel quite sad when I read this. It reopeoned some meories in me.

  354. Darren Mansor –

    Melvin writes really well.

  355. Cheryl Fadzil –

    Gave me the space to think without judgement.

  356. Kelvin Tan –

    Hard to explain why I liked it. I just did.

  357. Cheryl Nor –

    Really enjoyed it.

  358. Xinyi Yap –

    I think I will sell my phone and move to Hawaii.

  359. Tanisha Tan –

    A peaceful, necessary read in a noisy world.

  360. Tracy Roslan –

    Very personal, but somehow universal.

  361. Marcus Goh –

    I feel like you been through a lot in your life.

  362. Yi Lin Low –

    Some chapters hit me harder than I expected.

  363. Wen Jie Foo –

    For those tired of motivational fluff, this is the opposite.

  364. Wayne Teo –

    I recommended this book to my therapist.

  365. Wen Jie Ng –

    I wanted to know whether you went to Sao Paolo because one of your stories sound like it.

  366. Pei Ling Sim –

    Read this if you need to slow down.

  367. Ronald Ng –

    There is a comfort in this book.

  368. Melvin Hew –

    This book helped me rethink how I manage silence.

  369. Kelvin Chee –

    Honest, clear, and necessary.

  370. Isaac Rumi –

    It made me feel less alone with my thoughts.

  371. Tanisha Wong –

    One of the most grounded books I’ve read.

  372. Chong Wei Rumi –

    Perfect for slow mornings with coffee.

  373. Marcus Loke –

    Every page carried weight.

  374. Qistina Liew –

    Deep but never confusing.

  375. Kelvin Kamal –

    Some parts felt like they were written just for me.

  376. Karmen Tan –

    It stayed with me long after I closed it.

  377. Marcus Shukor –

    Understated and powerful.

  378. Alvin Koh –

    The structure makes it easy to reflect.

  379. Indra Ghafar –

    Simple language. Deep message.

  380. Samuel Rauf –

    Every chapter had at least one idea I took into my day.

  381. Bernice Goh –

    Subtle clarity throughout.

  382. Wen Jie Anuar –

    Taught me how to listen to myself again.

  383. Isaac Chan –

    You can feel the experience behind every line.

  384. Hazel Chua –

    It didn’t push me. It walked with me.

  385. Qi Wei Latif –

    A calm and serious guide for thoughtful people.

  386. Zachary Lau –

    This is a book I’ll reread every year.

  387. Kenny Chan –

    So personal, yet completely relatable.

  388. Alvin Daud –

    Elegant and unpretentious writing.

  389. Khai Amir –

    The kind of book that doesn’t need to try hard.

  390. Denise Roslan –

    Feels handwritten in the best way.

  391. Belinda Rashid –

    More insightful than most books twice its size.

  392. Chee Keong Mak –

    I took breaks not because I was bored, but to absorb.

  393. Sabrina Hew –

    Some of the best reading I’ve done this year.

  394. Zachary Yassin –

    Short chapters. Big impact.

  395. Jasmine Roslan –

    I bought it, read it, and bought two more copies.

  396. Indra Sallehin –

    If you’re overstimulated, read this.

  397. Zachary Rashid –

    A thoughtful counterbalance to digital overwhelm.

  398. Isaac Lee –

    Quiet wisdom. No gimmicks.

  399. Natalie Saad –

    I found myself highlighting more than I expected.

  400. Cheryl Pang –

    Didn’t expect a book to change my attention span. This did.

  401. Wayne Foo –

    Reflective without being heavy.

  402. Adrian Salleh –

    Each page brought me back to center.

  403. Denise Anuar –

    I didn’t want to rush through it.

  404. Qi Wei Foo –

    So much truth in such few words.

  405. Denise Halmi –

    This is how reflection should feel.

  406. Wei En Foo –

    No clichés, no filler.

  407. Vera Shukor –

    Felt like a thoughtful friend’s journal.

  408. Bernice Taufik –

    Resonated with me more than I’d like to admit.

  409. Gan Wei Anuar –

    Perfect companion for intentional living.

  410. Belinda Nor –

    One of the few books that made me pause.

  411. Marcus Sani –

    I read it slowly, then started again.

  412. Karmen Yassin –

    This gave me language for what I’ve been feeling.

  413. Nadia Nor –

    A rare find. Quietly unforgettable.

  414. Esmond Wan –

    Unexpectedly emotional.

  415. Eugene Sulong –

    Not life-changing—but mind-clearing.

  416. Rizal Chee –

    Made me realize how little I actually slow down.

  417. Gerald Yassin –

    Gentle and fierce, all at once.

  418. Jasmine Halmi –

    I carry it with me now.

  419. Hui Ling Rumi –

    The pacing, the voice, the honesty—it all works.

  420. Caleb Hew –

    Feels like it was written with great care.

  421. Ismail Toh –

    I appreciate how direct yet kind the tone is.

  422. Diyanah Yap –

    It earned my trust within the first few pages.

  423. Liyana Chee –

    Each paragraph asks something of you.

  424. Sabrina Latif –

    Helps you notice what you’ve been avoiding.

  425. Azwan Pang –

    I returned to several chapters again and again.

  426. Bernice Seow –

    It’s made me journal with more honesty.

  427. Esmond Yap –

    Balanced, clean, introspective.

  428. Yi Lin Basri –

    A balm for noisy minds.

  429. Nadia Khoo –

    Stripped of ego, full of insight.

  430. Zul Basman –

    Never preachy, always thoughtful.

  431. Denise Farid –

    I felt seen without being analyzed.

  432. Valerie Fadzil –

    You don’t read this book—you sit with it.

  433. Gavin Daud –

    Smart but never smug.

  434. Farah Zulkifli –

    One of the best gifts I’ve received.

  435. Wayne Halmi –

    Compassionate writing for the thinking reader.

  436. Wen Jie Foo –

    There’s strength in its softness.

  437. Hazel Daud –

    Helped me rethink how I spend my time.

  438. Joey Ibrahim –

    No step-by-step guide. Just awareness.

  439. Owen Loke –

    In a world of noise, this was a whisper I needed.

  440. Adrian Nor –

    My favorite thing is how quiet it feels.

  441. Fazira Khoo –

    Slowly becomes part of your routine.

  442. Oscar Seow –

    I thought I’d skim. I didn’t.

  443. Umar Fadzil –

    Less about advice, more about attention.

  444. Lydia Sim –

    A deep breath in paper form.

  445. Thinesh Chee –

    Written for people who value depth.

  446. Hannah Khalid –

    The first chapter made me put my phone down.

  447. Yasmin Farid –

    It let me notice my own thoughts again.

  448. Nathan Gonzalez –

    Enjoyable and thoughtful. The pacing in the middle third is slightly uneven. Otherwise an easy recommend.

  449. Sanne Fischer –

    My therapist actually recommended this to me. Now I’m recommending it to everyone I know.

  450. Christopher Murphy –

    Read this in Bangkok. The author’s understanding of Eastern thought is the real thing, not the watered-down version we usually get in Western books.

  451. Christopher Tanaka –

    Felt seen reading this. The description of the modern condition is uncomfortably accurate and the response to it is generous and humane.

  452. Hana Hayes –

    Very good. Not perfect. Some sections lean a bit on quotation rather than original argument. But overall a serious and worthwhile book.

  453. Daniel Santos –

    I expected diagnosis. I got something rarer: a serious attempt at prescription rooted in two great philosophical traditions. Both are taken seriously. Neither is reduced.

  454. Tariq Walker –

    An immediate favourite.

  455. Ahmad Sharma –

    Wonderful ideas, occasionally over-written. Trim about ten percent and it’s a five-star book.

  456. Zoe Brown –

    I teach a course on philosophy and technology and this is going on the syllabus next term.

  457. Nicole Wells –

    I’m not someone who reads philosophy normally but my sister recommended this and I’m so glad she did. Easy to read but not dumbed down. Made me actually think.

  458. Penelope Fischer –

    Picked it up not expecting much. Came away genuinely affected. The personal stories woven through give it real weight.

  459. Olivia Bell –

    Felt like a contemporary update of Pascal’s Pensees in places. High praise from me.

  460. Sanne Perez –

    I went through a difficult breakup last year and this book met me at the right moment. The chapter on solitude versus loneliness genuinely helped me reframe what I was experiencing.

  461. Nicole Sato –

    As someone who studied philosophy at university, I came in skeptical of any ‘philosophy for the modern age’ framing. Twenty pages in I was hooked. The treatment of Stoicism alongside Daoist thought is one of the cleanest comparative philosophy passages I’ve read outside an academic press.

  462. Joao Rivera –

    An immediate favourite.

  463. Lin Park –

    The author manages to be sharply critical of contemporary culture without ever sliding into nostalgia or grievance. Difficult balance to maintain. He maintains it.

  464. Alex Ahmed –

    The framing of attention as the fundamental moral currency of our time is exactly right and beautifully argued.

  465. Aisha Torres –

    Strong argument, occasionally repetitive structure. Glad I read it. Wouldn’t reread cover to cover but would dip back into specific chapters.

  466. Hassan Singh –

    I read this during a bad month and it helped me think my way through some things. The honesty in the writing is what makes it work.

  467. Penelope Walker –

    My partner and I read this together and have started having phone-free evenings. Small change with a big effect.

  468. Jonathan Rosenberg –

    Reminds me of the best of Alain de Botton but with sharper philosophical teeth.

  469. Elizabeth Sharma –

    I usually avoid anything labelled ‘philosophy for the modern age’ because it tends to be diluted self-help. This is the exception. Real philosophy, accessibly written.

  470. Lauren Martin –

    Genuinely enjoyed this. Only mild criticism is that I think it could have been twenty pages shorter. Some arguments get restated more than they need to be. Still strongly recommend.

  471. Rachel Suzuki –

    Absolutely loved it. Will read everything this man writes from now on.

  472. Felix Harris –

    I’m picky about philosophy and this passed every test I have for it.

  473. Omar Pereira –

    A genuinely impressive debut. I’ll be looking out for whatever Poh writes next.

  474. Yasmin Schmidt –

    The digital edition is beautifully formatted. Reads well on the Kindle app. Worth noting for those wondering about the format.

  475. Freja Scott –

    Genuinely worth reading. Wouldn’t say it’s the most important book of the year but it’s a serious contribution.

  476. Felix Taylor –

    Bought a physical copy after reading the digital edition. Wanted to be able to underline things and hand it to friends.

  477. Eli Nguyen –

    The chapter on attention and intentionality is worth the price alone. Reminded me of Iris Murdoch’s writing on moral attention but updated for the scroll.

  478. Lauren Schmidt –

    The treatment of Confucian and Daoist ideas is respectful and accurate, which is unfortunately rare in Western-published books. Refreshing to read.

  479. Diana Castillo –

    What makes this work is the personal voice. You feel the author actually wrestling with these questions rather than performing wisdom.

  480. Diana Miller –

    Four stars rather than five only because I wanted more development of some of the Eastern philosophy passages. The Western material gets slightly fuller treatment. Otherwise excellent.

  481. Kai Lopez –

    Mumbai-based reader here. The treatment of Hindu and Buddhist ideas alongside Western traditions is done with proper care.

  482. Ingrid Bell –

    Practical without being preachy. Philosophical without being dense. Hard balance to strike and the author nails it.

  483. Brandon Suzuki –

    Reading from Tokyo. The book translates beautifully even where it’s specifically about Western contexts. The arguments are genuinely universal.

  484. Beatriz Adams –

    I think there’s a five-star book inside this four-star book. With one more editorial pass I’d have rated it higher. As is, very good.

  485. Noah Hall –

    Read this back to back. Couldn’t put it down.

  486. Benjamin Ward –

    I’m a parent of two young children and this book helped me articulate something I’d been feeling but couldn’t name. The cost of constant distraction on family life is real.

  487. Lin Mitchell –

    As someone of mixed heritage I really appreciated the genuine engagement with both Eastern and Western philosophical traditions. So often this kind of comparison feels superficial. Here it doesn’t.

  488. Ruby Ward –

    Came in cynical, left convinced. This is what public philosophy should look like.

  489. Jonas Singh –

    Already on my reread pile.

  490. Elizabeth Tanaka –

    Strong on philosophy, less strong on specifics of contemporary platforms. The abstract argument holds up. The empirical observations occasionally feel slightly dated.

  491. Andre Hill –

    Felt seen reading this. The description of the modern condition is uncomfortably accurate and the response to it is generous and humane.

  492. Ella Santos –

    What I appreciated most was the absence of moralising. So many books on technology and modern life slip into lecturing the reader. This one trusts you to think alongside it. That trust is what makes the ideas actually stick.

  493. Ruth Moore –

    Refreshing voice. We need more writing like this.

  494. Mateo Flores –

    Reads like a long conversation with a friend who happens to be very well read. Best kind of book.

  495. Catarina Nguyen –

    I liked this more than four stars suggests but I have a five-star bar. Comfortably recommended.

  496. James Scott –

    The story he tells about his grandfather around page 180 has stayed with me for weeks.

  497. Oliver Adams –

    This sits comfortably alongside Byung-Chul Han and Sherry Turkle on my shelf. Maybe better, because it offers a way out rather than just diagnosis.

  498. Nicole Wells –

    There’s an anecdote near the middle of the book that I’ve now retold to half a dozen people.

  499. Daniel Hernandez –

    Reading this made me reconsider how much my kids see me on my phone. The chapter on presence really got me. Already trying to be different at the dinner table.

  500. Pablo Baker –

    Picked this up in Berlin and finished it on a train to Vienna. Has stayed with me ever since.

  501. Alexander Schneider –

    If you liked Iain McGilchrist’s The Master and His Emissary this is in a similar register, focused on the digital age.

  502. Zoe Graham –

    I’m a recovering attention-economy addict and this book has given me language for what I’m doing and why.

  503. Tom Wright –

    One of those rare books that actually changes how you see things.

  504. Daniel Flores –

    Worth ten times the asking price.

  505. Pieter Cohen –

    Three friends have now borrowed my copy and not returned it. Going to buy another one and just keep buying more.

  506. Olivia Miller –

    Started underlining and gave up about halfway through because I was underlining every other paragraph.

  507. Mateo Silva –

    Top tier. Genuinely.

  508. Stella Khan –

    Wonderful. Just wonderful.

  509. Sarah Murphy –

    Solid four stars. Would have been five with tighter editing. There are passages that loop back on themselves more than necessary.

  510. Penelope Reed –

    What sets this apart is the genuine bilingual fluency between traditions. So many writers pretend at this. Poh actually has it.

  511. Isaac Lopez –

    Read this on the train to and from work for a fortnight. Genuinely changed the texture of my commute. Started noticing things again.

  512. Ruby Bryant –

    Three weeks in and I’m still thinking about passages from chapter two. That’s the mark of a good book.

  513. Jonathan Harris –

    I was skeptical going in. The author has a strong online presence and I worried the book would be thin. It isn’t. The depth is genuine.

  514. Amanda Walker –

    The synthesis of Buddhist mindfulness with phenomenological philosophy in chapter seven is the clearest writing I’ve seen on this anywhere.

  515. Yuki Goldman –

    Good and important book. Lose a star for the occasional jargon. Not often, but enough to make me pause and reread a few times.

  516. Noah Robinson –

    Solid philosophy for a general audience. Specialists may find it familiar. Newcomers will find it valuable.

  517. Sam Suzuki –

    I’m from Singapore and the way the author moves between Asian and Western thought feels natural and unforced. He clearly inhabits both worlds.

  518. Kai Ahmed –

    Born in Hong Kong, educated in the UK. This book speaks to that bicultural condition in a way I’ve not encountered before.

  519. Soren Lee –

    Cannot recommend highly enough.

  520. Sophie Hernandez –

    Wonderful. Just wonderful.

  521. Jin Yang –

    I’d recommend this to most thoughtful readers. Knocking off a star for some passages that read as more aphoristic than argued.

  522. Mason Lee –

    Bought the digital edition on a Tuesday night and finished by Thursday. Stunning.

  523. Felix Ward –

    Lovely to read a book that doesn’t treat Eastern philosophy as exotic decoration. The traditions get equal weight and equal seriousness.

  524. Maya Ramirez –

    I expected diagnosis. I got something rarer: a serious attempt at prescription rooted in two great philosophical traditions. Both are taken seriously. Neither is reduced.

  525. Lauren Gomez –

    Currently doing my masters in continental philosophy and this is one of the few crossover books I’d put on a reading list without hesitation.

  526. Ella Hayes –

    Finished it in a weekend. Already recommending to friends.

  527. Talia Taylor –

    Honestly so good. Underlined and dog-eared throughout.

  528. Catarina Costa –

    Took me a while to get into the rhythm of the writing. Once I did it clicked. Knocking off a star for the slow opening only.

  529. Ethan Rodriguez –

    There’s a generosity to the writing that you don’t often find in philosophy. He’s not trying to look clever. He’s trying to help you see.

  530. Elizabeth Walker –

    Five stars without hesitation. Best book I’ve read this year.

  531. Megan Weber –

    This is the sort of book that the current cultural moment desperately needs. Bracing, generous, and very well argued.

  532. Eli Yang –

    I teach a course on philosophy and technology and this is going on the syllabus next term.

  533. Pablo Bauer –

    Made me rethink my relationship with notifications. Sounds small. Isn’t.

  534. Grace Pereira –

    Excellent. Made me delete three apps off my phone.

  535. Ben Clark –

    I’ll admit I bought this expecting another influencer’s vanity project. I was wrong. Genuinely substantive book with real philosophical depth. My apologies to the author for the assumption.

  536. Wei Reyes –

    I cried at one passage. Won’t say which one. Read it and you’ll understand.

  537. Priya Romero –

    The discussion of how the self is constructed under constant observation reminded me of Goffman but extended for the platform era. Sharp work.

  538. Isaac Adams –

    The framing of attention as the fundamental moral currency of our time is exactly right and beautifully argued.

  539. Lin Tanaka –

    The book argues that the question isn’t whether to use technology but how to remain a person while doing so. That framing alone is worth the price. The execution is even better.

  540. Anika Tanaka –

    I’ve started keeping a journal again after reading the chapter on inner life. Small thing. Has changed my weeks.

  541. Tariq Allen –

    Read this in Bangkok. The author’s understanding of Eastern thought is the real thing, not the watered-down version we usually get in Western books.

  542. Rebecca Ahmed –

    Recommending this to my undergraduate students. Accessible enough for first-years and rigorous enough to spark proper debate.

  543. Jacob Choi –

    His treatment of boredom as a productive state rather than something to be eliminated is the freshest take I’ve encountered on the topic.

  544. Catarina White –

    Worth reading. Some of the chapters are better than others. Four stars feels right.

  545. Oliver Hill –

    I read this during a bad month and it helped me think my way through some things. The honesty in the writing is what makes it work.

  546. Felix Mueller –

    Liked it. Didn’t love it. But that’s a high bar and the book genuinely earned the four stars.

  547. Nicholas Green –

    I’m a software engineer and the irony of reading this on a screen wasn’t lost on me. But it landed. Changed a few habits already.

  548. Lucy Zhang –

    Cannot recommend highly enough.

  549. Pablo Patel –

    Chapter four alone is worth the price of admission.

  550. Lucy Kumar –

    First review I’ve ever written for a book. That’s how strongly I feel about it.

  551. Hana Garcia –

    Best book on attention since Crawford’s The World Beyond Your Head.

  552. Lauren Allen –

    Read it on my tablet on a long flight. Format held up well. Excellent value for the price.

  553. Laura Suzuki –

    Was suspicious of the marketing but the book itself is the real deal. The substance is there.

  554. Michael Wilson –

    I bought this thinking it would be a quick read. It wasn’t. The ideas are denser than the prose makes them appear. That’s a compliment.

  555. Stephanie Lewis –

    As someone who studied philosophy at university, I came in skeptical of any ‘philosophy for the modern age’ framing. Twenty pages in I was hooked. The treatment of Stoicism alongside Daoist thought is one of the cleanest comparative philosophy passages I’ve read outside an academic press.

  556. Kai Cooper –

    Worth every cent. Will be rereading.

  557. Henry Choi –

    Read this on holiday and it actually made me put my phone down for the rest of the trip. That alone is worth five stars.

  558. Eve Hughes –

    A book to read slowly with a pen. Or quickly and then again slowly. Either way you’ll return to it.

  559. Camila Cohen –

    It’s a quiet book. Doesn’t shout. But the ideas stay with you long after you’ve finished.

  560. Ethan Roberts –

    Made me call my mum. Not sure I can explain why. But that’s what good philosophy does.

  561. Sophie Lopez –

    I’ll admit I bought this expecting another influencer’s vanity project. I was wrong. Genuinely substantive book with real philosophical depth. My apologies to the author for the assumption.

  562. Paul Mitchell –

    Made me want to read more philosophy. The bibliography sent me down a very productive rabbit hole.

  563. Jane Rodriguez –

    The chapter on the loss of slowness in modern life is one of the most poignant things I’ve read this year.

  564. Stella Lopez –

    Couldn’t recommend it more highly. The writing is elegant and the argument is rigorous. A rare combination.

  565. Hannah Wilson –

    A genuinely impressive debut. I’ll be looking out for whatever Poh writes next.

  566. Sam Wells –

    Not what I expected and that’s a good thing. Thought it was going to be another ‘digital detox’ guide. It’s much deeper than that.

  567. Lauren Clark –

    Brilliant work. The kind of philosophy that meets you where you actually live.

  568. Lucy Torres –

    Honest four stars. Very good but not transcendent. Would still recommend.

  569. Mark Park –

    What sets this apart is the genuine bilingual fluency between traditions. So many writers pretend at this. Poh actually has it.

  570. Joshua Rivera –

    Read this back to back. Couldn’t put it down.

  571. Laura Sanchez –

    The argument about the difference between connection and contact is the most important idea in the book. It reframes the entire problem of digital life.

  572. Adrian Adams –

    Beautiful prose and serious thinking. Buy it.

  573. Sebastian Cruz –

    Best book on attention since Crawford’s The World Beyond Your Head.

  574. Naomi Park –

    Top tier. Genuinely.

  575. Jessica Young –

    Melvin manages to write about Heidegger and Zhuangzi in the same paragraph without it feeling forced. That’s a rare skill. The synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions here is genuinely original and the argument about authenticity in the digital age lands with real weight.

  576. Lin Khan –

    Loved most of it. One chapter near the end didn’t work for me. Still very glad I read it.

  577. Simon Stone –

    His critique of optimisation culture is precisely calibrated. Not anti-technology, just anti the worship of efficiency over meaning.

  578. Isaac Hayes –

    Excellent in places, merely good in others. The strong chapters are very strong. The weaker ones are still worth reading.

  579. Christopher Garcia –

    PDF version is gorgeously typeset. Whoever did the design work deserves credit too.

  580. Levi Hill –

    Bought one for myself and one for my teenage son. We’ve been discussing it together which is more than we’ve talked about anything in months.

  581. Laura Wilson –

    Marvellous piece of work. The author has a real gift for making philosophy accessible without flattening it.

  582. Levi Schneider –

    Good read. Marked down a star because I felt the author could have engaged more critically with counterarguments. Tendency to assume the reader is already on side.

  583. David Campbell –

    A book that takes both Confucian and Aristotelian ethics seriously and makes them feel urgent again. I underlined half of it.

  584. Jane Rosenberg –

    Picked this up after seeing it recommended. Genuinely enjoyed it. Some chapters work better than others, hence four stars rather than five.

  585. Rebecca Moore –

    Honestly so good. Underlined and dog-eared throughout.

  586. Anika Castillo –

    I usually avoid anything labelled ‘philosophy for the modern age’ because it tends to be diluted self-help. This is the exception. Real philosophy, accessibly written.

  587. Lukas Mueller –

    Genuinely changed how I think about my phone. Five stars.

  588. Rebecca Park –

    Rarely review anything. Compelled to here. Read this book.

  589. Mason Martinez –

    Absolutely brilliant. The chapter on attention is the best thing I’ve read on the subject. Recommending it to my book club.

  590. Yusuf Adams –

    Quietly profound. Not in a way that bludgeons you. In a way that opens things up gradually.

  591. Chris Santos –

    Sat down to read a chapter before bed and stayed up until 2am. First time a book has done that to me in years.

  592. Theodore Hernandez –

    Really thoughtful book. Marked down slightly because I wanted more concrete practical guidance. The diagnosis is sharper than the prescription.

  593. Christopher Young –

    The kind of book you finish and then immediately want to start again from the beginning.

  594. Hiroshi Allen –

    Surprisingly funny in places. Didn’t expect that. Welcome.

  595. Catarina Santos –

    Found myself disagreeing with the author in a few places and that’s part of why I’d recommend it. It’s an argumentative book in the best sense.

  596. Samuel Torres –

    Read this slowly over a month. Wanted to sit with the ideas rather than rush through. It rewards that approach.

  597. Charlotte Rivera –

    The author manages to be sharply critical of contemporary culture without ever sliding into nostalgia or grievance. Difficult balance to maintain. He maintains it.

  598. Theodore Murphy –

    Reading from Cape Town. Genuinely impressed by the global sensibility of this book. Doesn’t feel parochial.

  599. Henry Romero –

    Reading this in the evenings instead of scrolling has been one of the best trades I’ve made all year.

  600. Nathan Bauer –

    Bought this on a whim and ended up reading it in two sittings. Genuinely the most thought-provoking book I’ve read this year.

  601. Amelia Levy –

    I’ve been off Twitter for two weeks because of this book. The argument finally landed in a way it hadn’t from other writers.

  602. Freja Walker –

    I’ve read it twice now and got different things from it each time. The mark of writing with real depth.

  603. Soren Hassan –

    Enjoyed it a lot. Slight reservation: the personal anecdotes are sometimes more effective than the abstract argumentation. I’d have liked more of the former and less of the latter.

  604. Lin Choi –

    Made me rethink my relationship with notifications. Sounds small. Isn’t.

  605. Ryan Taylor –

    Bought it for my husband as a gift and he ended up reading passages aloud to me at dinner. Then I read it myself. Now we both quote it.

  606. Helena Zhang –

    Recommending this to my undergraduate students. Accessible enough for first-years and rigorous enough to spark proper debate.

  607. Zara Rosenberg –

    Strong philosophical underpinning without ever feeling academic. Poh has clearly read deeply and writes with both rigour and warmth.

  608. Marcus Baker –

    Sits well alongside Han’s The Burnout Society and Crary’s 24/7. Less academic in tone but equally serious in argument.

  609. Tariq Hamilton –

    The kind of book you finish and then immediately want to start again from the beginning.

  610. Ibrahim Wilson –

    Strong book with one weak chapter. The middle section on social media specifically felt thinner than the rest. But the framing and the closing argument are excellent.

  611. Mason Perez –

    Don’t usually leave reviews but felt this one earned it.

  612. Isabella Baker –

    Picked this up between term papers and ended up using it as a secondary source for one. The arguments are properly constructed.

  613. Elizabeth Hall –

    Hit different. Highly recommend.

  614. Christopher Tanaka –

    Not a quick read. Not meant to be. The kind of book you live with for a while.

  615. Daniel Taylor –

    Not what I expected and that’s a good thing. Thought it was going to be another ‘digital detox’ guide. It’s much deeper than that.

  616. Simon Wright –

    The closing chapter is genuinely moving. I won’t spoil it but it earns its weight.

  617. Mei Harris –

    Reading group at my college has been working through this for three weeks. Generates more discussion than anything we’ve read in months.

  618. Lin Flores –

    I bought this hoping it would help me get off my phone. It did way more than that. It helped me figure out why I was on my phone in the first place.

  619. Kai Campbell –

    Underlined more passages in this than in any book I’ve read in the last decade.

  620. Pablo Singh –

    This is the sort of book that the current cultural moment desperately needs. Bracing, generous, and very well argued.

  621. Christopher Suzuki –

    The synthesis of Buddhist mindfulness with phenomenological philosophy in chapter seven is the clearest writing I’ve seen on this anywhere.

  622. Ruby Ortiz –

    I’ve been struggling with anxiety for years and this gave me a framework for thinking about it I hadn’t encountered before. Not a cure but a real perspective shift.

  623. James Hill –

    This kind of writing reminds me why I started reading philosophy in the first place.

  624. Mateo Scott –

    Surprisingly funny in places. Didn’t expect that. Welcome.

  625. Aiden King –

    Three friends have now borrowed my copy and not returned it. Going to buy another one and just keep buying more.

  626. Eli Ortiz –

    There’s something deeply consoling about this book. Not in a self-help way. In a way that makes you feel less alone in the questions you’re already asking.

  627. Zara Goldman –

    Quietly profound. Not in a way that bludgeons you. In a way that opens things up gradually.

  628. Leila Jackson –

    Good book. Wanted slightly more depth on the Eastern traditions specifically. Felt the Western philosophy got more space.

  629. Penelope Martinez –

    Four stars because it’s very good. Not five because I think the marketing oversells slightly. The book is more modest in its claims than the framing suggests, which is actually to its credit.

  630. Freja Hill –

    Brilliant work. The kind of philosophy that meets you where you actually live.

  631. Wei Perez –

    Honestly the writing style took me a chapter to settle into but once I did I couldn’t stop. There’s a quiet authority to it.

  632. Andre Bennett –

    Reading from Cape Town. Genuinely impressed by the global sensibility of this book. Doesn’t feel parochial.

  633. Mason Martinez –

    Five stars without hesitation. Best book I’ve read this year.

  634. Ben Liu –

    Lovely to read a book that doesn’t treat Eastern philosophy as exotic decoration. The traditions get equal weight and equal seriousness.

  635. Alexander Martin –

    I’ve been off Twitter for two weeks because of this book. The argument finally landed in a way it hadn’t from other writers.

  636. Theodore Roberts –

    Outstanding. Buy it, read it, thank me later.

  637. Lily Allen –

    It’s a quiet book. Doesn’t shout. But the ideas stay with you long after you’ve finished.

  638. Hiroshi Torres –

    Read it on my tablet on a long flight. Format held up well. Excellent value for the price.

  639. Freja Bauer –

    There’s an anecdote near the middle of the book that I’ve now retold to half a dozen people.

  640. Nicholas Ortiz –

    Underlined more passages in this than in any book I’ve read in the last decade.

  641. Clara Wilson –

    Really good book. Lost a star because some of the early chapters covered ground I felt was familiar from other writers on attention and technology. But the synthesis with Eastern philosophy is where the book becomes original and there it’s excellent.

  642. Nicole Bell –

    Felt like a contemporary update of Pascal’s Pensees in places. High praise from me.

  643. Freja Lopez –

    Good book that I’d recommend to friends. Not a great book. There’s a difference. But still well worth the read.

  644. Ella Bennett –

    Really enjoyable. Won’t say it changed my life but it gave me a lot to think about. Sometimes that’s enough.

  645. Ruby Graham –

    The opening pages alone hooked me. Rare for a book of philosophy to have such a strong opening.

  646. Jane Weber –

    Loved the section on silence. We’ve forgotten how to be quiet and the book makes a serious case for why that matters.

  647. Maya Oliveira –

    Picked this up in Berlin and finished it on a train to Vienna. Has stayed with me ever since.

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