Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari

Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari explores the question of whether common ideas about addiction are mistaken. The book is presented as a New York Times bestseller and is described as the inspiration for the feature film The United States vs. Billie Holiday.

Hari draws on personal experience, beginning with an early memory of trying to wake a relative and later recognising addiction within his family. Seeking clearer answers, he undertakes a three-year, thirty-thousand mile journey to investigate what causes addiction and how it might be addressed. The narrative is told through a series of human stories, and it also formed the basis of a TED talk and animation that have been viewed more than twenty million times. The book is described as having transformed the global debate about addiction.

Key details

• Author: Johann Hari
• New York Times bestseller
• Inspiration for the feature film The United States vs. Billie Holiday
• Based on a three-year, thirty-thousand mile journey
• Linked to a TED talk and animation with more than twenty million views

Synopsis

What if widely held beliefs about addiction are wrong? Drawing on a personal starting point and a wider investigation, Johann Hari follows a long journey to explore what causes addiction and how it can be solved. The story is told through a sequence of human accounts and is positioned as a contribution to the global debate on the subject.