Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do

I tried really hard to give this guy a chance. Eventually I had to put this book down (something I NEVER do) It is pretty apparent that the author sold a publishing company on a great idea for a book, took his advance and was unable to deliver. So it is filled with utterly ridiculous chapters about real estate prices being higher near the ocean (duh!) and all the different activities you can enjoy in water. Its almost absurd that this even got published. Great marketing but there is no book here. Read the spot on 1 Star reviews above that call it fluff. If you love water and water sports and thought maybe this book offers some interesting explanations as to why that is, turn around and move on. I'll save you the time. The answer is because you are happy enjoying water activities. This is backed by statistics on how many people surf or fish. And interviews with surfers and fisherman that say they feel different and better when participating in these activities. That is quite literally the depth of this book. It does not deliver on any of its premise. You like non-fiction and want great water related books read Shadow Divers or Barbarian Days

I’ve never written a review on Amazon, despite being an avid reader. I wanted to like this book, and took it to the beach to read. It was so disappointing. By 50 pages in, there wasn’t a shred of science or anything related to the title that was relevant to water. It was full of anecdotes, fluff, and every topic under the sun other than water. I’m writing this to just spare you the time. You won’t get what you’re looking for in the very catchy and intriguing title. - I even did a challenge with my girlfriend to open to a random page and see if what was being talked about was relevant to the title. Time and time again, it was not

Having a degree in Marine Biology, I found some of the information in the book to be a bit of "common sense"..... Or so I thought. But when I began teaching college biology to nonmajors, I realized that this book can really light those students up. Blue Mind really got some of my students excited about the oceans and ecology, engaged at greater levels with the endocrine system and hormones, gave them a better idea of anatomy and physiology, and most importantly, I think, showed my students that science is relevant NOW, and to them. Dr. Nichols is a great example of a scientist and advocate to a generation of young adults who are just waiting for his messages!

J. Nichols has created a gem of a "textbook". I would like to see this information shared in all school curriculum, corporations, and doctor's offices. This book is based on essential ancient wisdom packaged with new research, and written in a very relatable way. The surprisingly obvious thing, that our wellbeing can INSTANTLY be enhanced with something as simple, and as in close proximity to you, as your own shower/bathtub, a visit to a body of water, watching a water related film or looking at photos of an ocean wave, etc., isn't well practiced by so many of us. I truly believe if we connected with nature more, especially with water, we wouldn't have the magnitude of diseases and conditions (i.e. heart disease, cancer, diabetes, mental illnesses) that have been so common and prevalent for far too long. Connection with nature, and particularly water, is such an easy (an enjoyable!) fix to these problems. I hope that tapping into a blue mind (a calm meditative joyful creative state - induced by one's connection with water) will become widely known and practiced from kids to adults. I highly recommend this book to everyone, at any age, at any stage of health, and of any professional background. I have been in the field of health and wellness for over 30 years, as a Registered Dietitian & Certified Health Coach, and believe that blue mind can play a key role in each one of our lives. After you read Blue Mind, hop over to J. Nichols social media (facebook/IG) and site to learn more and connect with a global blue mind community. I have been sharing this information with clients, colleagues, friends and family and encourage you to do the same. As J. says "I wish you water" and "live blue".

The premise is interesting and the concept is good, but how much simplistic repetition and filler content is a reader expected to endure! This "book" needs a serious edit from almost 300 pages down to maybe 4 because it quickly shifts from interesting read to water torture (pun intended) after the second dozen pages. The disorganized and repetitive thinking in the book actually undermines the entire premise. Sad I wasted my time pushing through and reading the whole thing hoping for a redemption of the author by the end.

I honestly do not know where to begin... I usually am not a book reader, but when I come across a true story or a interesting title, I tend to go for it. I am currently studying Marine Biology in college and I really enjoyed this book. I even got to meet the author in person and get my book signed by Wallace J. Nichols via a Lecture Series Event featured with the WAVE Foundation at Newport Aquarium for my school (Thomas More University). This book not only opened my overall opinion about water, but it also gave me confidence within the field of marine biology. I think being near, in, on, or under water (as the book states), is an important role of why humans exist. If we did not have our oceans, we would really not be here. The ocean to me is my safe place, my passion, my well-being, my body, and everything in-between. It gives me a sense of power and hope in this world. This book also does a good job pointing out the negatives and positives throughout. One negative is that our generation or younger generations are so glued to being inside, playing video games, being on our phones, that we miss out on the wonders that lie ahead of us outside, in nature, in our backyards, etc. It is sad sometimes, because we have such a beautiful earth that we live on and some tend to take and destroy our earth. The ocean is part of us and we are part of the ocean. Blue Mind also attracts so many people other than marine biology majors. It was super cool to see some of my friends who are non majors and to see their perspective of the world after reading this book. They were more open with their feelings, their interests, etc. Overall, I would 100% recommend this book to anyone!

I enjoyed this book and learned several things from it. I had no idea the scientific basis for being around water and how it impacts us physiologically and can drive us to behave in certain ways. The book is written for a general audience so even if you don't have much of a scientific background, it is still accessible and easy to read and follow. Even with a science background and someone who enjoys reading books, I learned several things and it was good to read about a unique topic.

Nichols covers a lot of ground, er, water in this book. From the physiology of our watery selves to finding one's happiness, Nichols' book describes our many and varied relationships with water. It motivated this reader to seek out more ways to interact with water and live more in the blue mind.

This was a very disappointing read. He's trying to take a Loren Eiseley approach but his intellect is a poor imitation. Please save your money and order a Loren Eiseley book if you want to read something that is truly great and uplifting. He writes like someone who has spent his life on the California beaches and who has smoked too much weed. His credentials are quite unremarkable as well.

An entire book on this matter? So very boring and repetitive. Never gets below the surface. We humans all love being near, on or under the water. There, that's it. Duh! Nothing much deeper than this premise was presented in this book.I recently attended this author's presentation about this book and it was just as bad as the book itself. It was like a therapy session, where he had us turn to the person next to to us and had us describe "our water", the first time we felt connected to an ocean, pool or lake. This book could have been a 2 page leaflet.