Synopsis
Every aspect of human behaviour is part of a story – by understanding the stories, you can understand life itself.
'Fascinating, entertaining and deeply smart' – Will Storr, bestselling author of The Status Game
Wars, pandemics, Brexit, Elon Musk, the impending doom of our species, the enduring popularity of Ted Lasso – we live in confusing and uncertain times. Won’t someone make it all make sense?
In The Stories of Your Life, bestselling author Ben Ambridge explains that the often-bizarre behaviour of individuals, organizations and even whole countries makes perfect sense, once we understand them in terms of stories. Through generations of storytelling, we have together condensed the human experience into just eight distinct stories. And whether we’re pitching a product, bidding to become president, or simply trying to find love and happiness, we do so by retelling ourselves, and each other, one of these stories.
Using real-life examples, psychological research and our favourite stories, The Stories of Your Life will teach you:
- The 'recipes' behind these powerful narratives
- How the plots of stories like The Lord of the Rings (Quest), Ted Lasso (Untangled) and Macbeth (Icarus) follow these recipes
- How these same plots play out in real life, from addiction (Monster) to sporting rivalries (Feud) and dramatic rescues (Hole)
- The psychological science that explains why these stories are so compelling
A guide to help you understand the world around you, The Stories of Your Life shares fascinating lessons about the nature of humanity, the power of psychology and the way we see ourselves.
'Ambridge expertly decodes and deciphers [the stories of our lives] so we can all benefit and grow' – Matt Abrahams, author of Think Faster Talk Smarter
Details
29 January 2026
9781035018406Reviews
A fascinating, entertaining and deeply smart journey into the storytelling brainWill Storr, bestselling author of The Status Game and The Science of Storytelling
Stories are essential for human beings. They allow us to learn, to connect, to empathize. The best stories follow structures that catalyze and amplify their power. In The Stories of Your Life, Ben Ambridge decodes and deciphers these master plots so we all can benefit and growMatt Abrahams, author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter and host of Think Fast, Talk Smart
Life - and the quite appalling behaviour of everyone I know - finally makes sense. Read this remarkable bookAndrew Gold, author of The Psychology of Secrets and host of Heretics
