Self-Help in the Digital Age : TED Talks, Speculative Fiction, and the Role of Reading

Abstract

This book unites literature and science, exploring how American self-help culture influences science communication and shapes expectations of success and happiness, particularly through TED talks. It highlights literature's role in challenging these narratives and presenting alternative worldviews. Through the lens of literary synesthesia, the book emphasizes sensory experiences and human-nonhuman interactions in its close readings.