The Humans

Product Information

In 2017, Haig published How to Stop Time, a novel about a man who appears to be 40 but has, in fact, lived for more than 400 years and has met Shakespeare, Captain Cook and F. Scott Fitzgerald. In an interview with The Guardian, Haig revealed the book has been optioned by StudioCanal films, and Benedict Cumberbatch had been "lined up to star" in the film adaptation. [8] Reasons to Stay Alive won the Books Are My Bag Readers' Awards in 2016 and How to Stop Time was nominated in 2017. [9] In August 2018, he wrote lyrics for English singer and songwriter Andy Burrows's music album, the title of which was derived from Haig's book Reasons to Stay Alive. [10] Peanut butter sandwiches go perfectly well with a glass of white wine. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Except for the fact that people just talked about his experience in sly references not head on. Even his family didn't deal with it well. I thought what was more impressive was the kid's reaction to the father's issue. His brush with suicide was moving - I felt his dispair with life.

Other stories

A quark is not the smallest thing. The wish you have on your death-bed – to have worked harder – that is the smallest thing. Because it won’t be there.

Politeness is often fear. Kindness is always courage. But caring is what makes you human. Care more, become more human.

Forthcoming Events

In a few spots I thought characters did things that did not ring true. E.g. some of the advice on the list did not seem realistic for an alien who's only been on Earth a few months, so that the voice of the author interfered with my enjoyment of his story. Matt Haig is now up there in my list of favourite authors. Each time I read one of his books I am so impressed by its originality and his amazing imagination. What were some of the observations about humanity (or mathematics) that you found most/least interesting?

The Humans is one of those rare books that makes your heart swell and your eyes tear up as Haig reintroduces us to the human race, with its social quirks, hidden meanings and, of course, peanut butter sandwiches. Stylist One day humans will live on Mars. But nothing there will be more exciting than a single overcast morning on Earth.

Other Topics

To like something is to insult it. Love it or hate it. Be passionate. As civilisation advances, so does indifference. It is a disease. Immunise yourself with art. And love. I guess all of those at times. It did make me laugh several times, but I realized in the first chapter that I was going to have to throw logic out the window to appreciate this one. I started reading this on the bus and couldn't stop giggling like a madwoman! In this book, you're following an alien sent to stop human mathematical progress. He steals the body of the human he's sent to kill and we get to discover humans through his eyes. His mission is to kill anyone that might know about the mathematical equation but things don't go as planned...

But the universe decides we aren't ready for such massive knowledge and sends an alien to kill, then inhabit the body of Andrew, with the mission to remove any evidence of his findings.

The first thing that you should know about this tale is that it’s hilarious and philosophical. It is definitely not a sad story, but it will bring tears to your eyes not because it will break your heart, but because it will stitch up the seams it has. Being stitched up is not that nice, but it’s definitely worth it, right? To experience beauty on Earth, you needed to experience pain and to know mortality. That is why so much that is beautiful on this planet has to do with time passing and the Earth turning. Which might also explain why to look at such natural beauty was to also feel sadness and a craving for a life unlived.” Told through the romantic and curious perspective of an unnamed alien, Matt Haig’s The Humans is an honest and mostly-optimistic view on humanity, showing that hope and greatness could be found in our imperfections as individuals and as a whole. The Humans" is the story of an alien who is sent to Earth to eliminate all traces of the newly found proof of the Reimann hypothesis, which is said to be too powerful and dangerous knowledge for an immature species as us. The alien possesses the mathematician who proves the hypothesis, a professor at a prestigious university, who is also having a lot of family problems. Good premise, but you can see where it is heading.