I’m a longtime fan of Gretchen Rubin’s writing (going all the way back to The Happiness Project), and her newest book is a fun and thought-provoking addition to her body of work. In her trademark style, she dives deep into her subject - in this case, exploration of the five senses - and shares her personal experiences, expectations, reactions, and surprises in ways that prompted me to consider this way of exploring the world. I don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll just say this: LIFE IN FIVE SENSES is thoroughly enjoyable and will add new perspective to your life. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book.

I, like Gretchen Rubin, tend to live in my own head, so her realization that she needed to get out of her own head and explore and live in her five senses was very relevant to me. It hooked me from the very beginning. I also am a sucker for a methodical exploration, and her journey through the five senses appealed to me in that way, as well.

Her thoughts on each sense were fascinating and gave me new things to think about in terms of how I use my senses. Her own resolution to pay more attention to what’s going on around her made me make a similar resolution and made the world around me come more alive.

One of my favorite things about the whole thing was how concrete and unique each of her ‘action items’ for each sense were—but also how imitatable. Her concept of ‘audio apothecary’ is something I’ve had going in a loose and unorganized way for a while. There are some songs that I just know make me happy or motivated, and I save them for those moments! But maybe I should gather them up, as she did.

Her focus on how all the senses can also remind us of the past and store memories was fascinating, as well. From her ‘tastes timeline’ to her idea of ‘sense portraits’, it was a welcome departure from and advancement of the typical “use your sense of smell to save a memory”.

I personally am a touch-neglecting person (that’s what I got as my neglected sense when I took her quiz, and it makes a lot of sense), and her thoughts on touch therefore specifically interested me, from the necessary (but neglected) “Give A Loving Touch” to “Using Touch to Ignite the Imagination”.

One of my favorite parts of the book was her resolution to visit the MET every day. It inspired me both to start making a daily visit to the university library, and to visit the Art Institute in Chicago more often. (I’m close by…but I need to make the time!)

Overall, it’s a fascinating portrait of the senses and also a highly individual portrait of Gretchen herself and the way she goes about the world—but one which can benefit anyone.

This is a lovely book for readers who want to start a mindfulness practice but aren't dead set on meditation, or anyone looking to slow down, put their phone down, and live in the "real world"

This book was an engaging overview of how in paying closer attention to our senses we can enhance the enjoyment they can provide. I have been a big fan of Gretchen Rubin’s books since she wrote her hit The Happiness Project. Many of her books are in some way related to exploring how we can increase happiness in our lives and this book definitely touches on that theme. Gretchen briefly examines the science behind each sense and provides some fun facts about them (each of our nostrils has its own sense of smell - who knew?!). Gretchen also explores the power of each sense: how hearing a song can evoke a memory, how a smell can bring you back to a specific place in time, how touch can play a role in calming anxiety. I really learned a lot from this book.

This book is a great reminder for all of us to slow down and pay attention -- to take in information through all of our senses. There were so many great insights in this book - -such as "Listen" is a rearrangement for the word "Silent" and why it's difficult to follow action in a film that is subtitled without hearing the voices -- I always wondered why I feel I have to turn the volume up even though I don't understand the language spoken! She also created a Audio Apothecary as she calls it -- playlists to help you with different moods (it can be found on Spotify too but I am creating my own). She also describes going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art daily to focus on different aspects - color, texture, smells, sounds etc. I thought this was a great idea as a way to tune into different senses beyond just visual. The other part I absolutely loved is her "Manifesto for Listening" - particularly with her husband. I think this is extremely helpful and I have started applying some of the tips. This book is a great companion piece to her other books (I have read some of them) and her podcast (which I have not yet listened to). I recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crown Publishing, for an ARC and I left my honest review voluntarily.

In a world that seems to value busy and multi-tasking, this books is a reminder to slow down. Slow down and take in the world around with all of your senses. Fascinating material for deep thinkers and those wanting to experience life rather than rush their existence.

I don't know that I can pinpoint exactly what I love about Rubin's books, but I found this one just as compelling as the others. It was a delight to join her on her personal investigations into the 5 senses, but I also felt inspired and motivated to grown my understanding and depth of my own 5 senses. I found myself laughing out loud at some comments (looking at you "littlestitious") and pondering some deep insights. Overall, another win for Gretchen Rubin.

My thanks to both NetGallley and the publisher Crown Publishing for an advanced copy of this look at the human senses, and how with just some changes our lives can be made better and in some ways happier than before.

Our five senses are probably the most unacknowledged aspects of ourselves, and what makes us the people that we are. And yet without them humans would have no idea about the world around us, how to interact, or how to be safe. Humans tend to overlook many things, and sadly our senses are well five of those things. There are plenty of stories of lives being changed when a problem in our lives are addressed. TikTok videos full of children given glasses, or hearing aids seeing and hearing their parents for the first time. Teddy Roosevelt was almost a teen before he was given glasses that allowed him to see the birds in the sky for the first time. Though this was bad for the birds as he began shooting them to study them, better, but this interest in nature gave us the national park system, a gift to our senses. To ignore our senses, or to let them be ignored is almost self-harm, how can one feel complete if so much of the world is being ignored. Ignorance is bliss for a lot of people, but those people never seem happy, using ignorance to make themselves feel better, and not getting the enjoyment out of a new song, or a new picture, or even seeing a child smile, sing, cook something. Gretchen Rubin, author and self improvement influencer has in Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World delves into the five senses that makes us who we are, looking at the science, the arts, and what we can do to raises our sense of what this world is about.

A visit to a eye doctor for a simple irritation sends Gretchen Rubin's world out of kilter with a discussion about detached retinas, and problems with vision. Rubin has a moment where she suddenly realizes that there are many moments that don't seem complete without her senses being fully involved in it, and begins to wonder at what the senses do for us keeping us safe from walking into traffic, avoiding ambulances or eating rotten cheese. Rubin comes to the realization that be not taking advantage of her senses, that she was depriving her mind and her well being by not being completely in any moment. So Rubin began to study the science of the senses, catching up the most up-to-date data, reading books, and going to museums to take in not only the art, but the people who were, there, and learning from them how we experience life. Rubin also took classes, on perfumes, trying a weekend of silence, and other self experiments to gain a better understanding or what humans can absorb, live without, and frankly need a whole lot more of.

Gretchen Rubin book The Happiness Project was a book that I took to whole heartedly. This one is similar in a way, but with a lot more science on the senses. Though there is a lot of things that can be gained by readers for their own happiness. Rubin is a very good writer, one that doesn't write to a person, more invites a reader in to sit at a table, and share what Rubin has found. Over a nice cup of tea. Rubin is able to make the science not only relatable, but interesting, with a lot of facts that one can pop on other people to sound smart. Rubin is very empathic, Rubin writes to help or teach, not to scold or lecture and it shows when she lists faults or mistakes that Rubin has made in the past, or on this latest journey.

Well researched and written with a lot of practical ideas, that might help a lot of people. Post-Covid there is a lot that people should be very careful doing, but ignoring our senses is not one of them. Another very interesting and life influencing book by a very good person.

I love how scientific but relatable Gretchen Rubin’s writing is. Her projects always inspire me to try new things in my own life. I wasn’t sure I would like this newest book as much as her previous work, but it exceeded my expectations! I’m much more aware of how the way I move through my days, paying closer attention to what I see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. I really enjoyed reading this!

A little dry (which I don't remember from Rubin's previous books), but enough worthwhile nuggets to make this worth the read.

I'm a fan of Rubin's work generally, but I wasn't totally sold on the premise of this one. I requested it anyway and I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed Rubin's journey to really focus in on her five senses. I read this in small portions at a time, and I think that's how I would recommend it to anyone. It was a really gentle read, and consuming it over a longer period of time than I usually would take to read a book felt like it made Rubin's points sink in more for me. I appreciated how she went all in on this experiment, and enjoyed reading about some of the things she tried - a sensory deprivation tank, a perfume class, an audio bath, a weekend of complete silence, collecting items in a particular color, and immersive art exhibit. My life is very much not like Gretchen Rubin's - she lives in New York City with easy access to all kinds of amazing places and experiences, and she also works for herself and has more say over her own schedule. But the variety of experiments that she highlighted in this book made me feel like a similar, if smaller scale, version of this project could be accessible to me. I've definitely found myself just noticing a lot more since I started reading this book, and I appreciate the way that focusing on the senses helps me be more present.

I look forward to each book by Gretchen Rubin, and this one exceeded my expectations! I love how she weaves science with her abiding fascination for the five senses. Her experiments with each of the five senses is inspiring me to pay more attention to the gifts of my own sensory experiences.

This latest book by G.Rubin focuses on our five senses. Starting with a little psychology of perception and enriching it with the Mindfulness that never goes out of fashion, the author churns out another book that is perfect for being mildly interesting without becoming difficult. Clearly this is my opinion and is based on the fact that, personally, I was already doing several things suggested by the author, for different reasons though. For example she leads us to be attentive to colors, sensations, smells, sounds etc. all to be more present and sharpen our view of the world, to perceive the whole 360°. In my case, on the other hand, it is more of a way to accumulate memories of perfect moments, which the more detailed they are, the more they will remain forever.

Questo ultimo libro di G.Rubin si focalizza sui nostri cinque sensi. Partendo da un po' di psicologia della percezione ed arricchendo il tutto con la Mindfulness che non passa mai di moda, l'autrice sforna un altro libro perfetto per il suo essere leggermente interessante, senza diventare difficile. Chiaramente questa é la mia opinione e si basa sul fatto che, personalmente, facevo giá parecchie cose suggerite dall'autrice, per ragioni diverse peró. Per esempio lei ci porta ad essere attenti a colori, sensazioni, odori, suoni etc. il tutto per essere piú presenti ed affinare la nostra visione del mondo, per percepire il tutto a 360°. Nel mio caso invece, si tratta piú di un modo per accumulare memorie di momenti perfetti, che piú sono dettagliati, piú resteranno per sempre.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

I am a fan of Gretchen Rubins writing and podcast.Her writing always informs and inspires.me,I especially like the way she share’s anecdotes from her personal and knowledge for us to use.Life in Five Senses taught me to really look see the people and the world around us.#netgalley #crownbooks

I’m a fan of Gretchen Rubin’s previous books and podcast so I was very grateful to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the advance read.

Gretchen’s experience at the eye doctor sends her on a quest to find more meaning and joy in the five senses. Let this book be your wake up call to stop and notice the “little” things that you take for granted everyday. Even though this is a nonfiction book, Gretchen has woven stories of her family and friends into the experiences that make you feel like you are a part of the journey.

A thought provoking read that will hopefully have readers searching for ways to slow down and connect with our senses.

I really enjoyed Life in Five Senses, not a surprise coming from Gretchen Rubin. I appreciated the blend of scientific information and personal anecdotes, as well as practical advice the reader can use.

Gretchen Rubin has written what, I am sure, will be a best seller and a book welcomed by her many fans. This time, she focuses on learning to appreciate life through the senses, recognizing all that they do for us, NOTICING them, and using this awareness to have a more meaningful and fulfilled existence.

One aspect of the book that I enjoyed was Ms. Rubin’s sharing of personal anecdotes. Her personality, organized yet open, inquiring yet functioning best with routine come across most clearly through these.

Each sense is carefully explored through a variety of lenses. The author begins with sight. There is scientific information and much about the ways in which Ms. Rubin literally began to see and notice more. Two examples; Ms. Rubin began a collection of objects in one color family and, for another, she began going to the Metropolitan Museum daily in an effort to really LOOK at what what was there. I found that I paid more attention in my life as a result, just noticing the hues of my world a bit more and slowing down to enjoy them. The same is true as each sense is examined and readers are invited in.

This book will be a welcome guide to its intended audience. Ms. Rubin has done it again.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

I am a long-time fan of Gretchen Rubin--her books and her podcast. Her latest book, Life in Five Senses, Rubin explores using your five senses as a means to building a happier, more meaningful life. In this latest book, Rubin helps readers find a way to enjoy life every single day, even in the smallest of ways. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance e-copy for review.

I have always found Gretchen Rubin’s voice to be authentic and approachable. In Life in Five Senses, Gretchen nudges us forward to towards action through interwoven research and personal anecdotes. She explores the five senses: How do they ground us? How do they change us? Her through line is her daily visit to the MET, zoning in on one sense at a time and then using the senses altogether. I loved the suggestion to pick an appealing colour and go on a search for items in secondhand stores for objects that match. I highly recommend this book as one to savour and use a model for your own exploration of the senses. Gretchen includes a five senses jump start and quiz with a further list of ideas to explore the senses. I feel the current need for connecting back to the world through our humanness and the five senses. This book is a helpful guide to get your journey started.

I am a fan of Gretchen Rubin and have read all of her books, since The Happiness Project. I am also a regular listener to her podcast, Happier. So when this book become available for review on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it early and review it.
This book did not disappoint me. Similar to The Happiness Project, this book chronicles Rubin's research and personal experiences. In this book she looks at each of the five senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling as well as a final section about the senses as a whole. The book is a type of memoir through the lense of her exploration of the senses. She seamlessly weaves in information about the senses from scientific research as well as literature. I was particularly interested in her discussions of art from her daily visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The book closes with a compendium of try-this-at-home experiments for the reader. I hope to try many of these to enlarge my own sensations.
I highly recommend this book for any non-fiction book lover.