Matt Haig
Author
Matt is an award-winning author whose books have been translated into 29 languages. He writes fiction and non-fiction, for both children and adults, and is best known for his candid writings about mental health, often drawing on his own experiences.
His novels The Radleys and The Humans have both won awards. His children’s book A Boy Called Christmas was called an ‘instant classic’ by the Guardian. It has been translated into over 25 languages and is currently being made into a film by Studio Canal, the creators of Paddington. The film will feature an all-star cast, including Jim Broadbent, Kristen Wiig, Maggie Smith, and Sally Hawkins.
Matt’s memoir Reasons to Stay Alive looked at both his lowest times struggling with anxiety and depression in his 20s, but also zoomed out to the wider lens view of the happy, fulfilled present he lives in now – one he couldn’t imagine at his most ill. The book broadens out further still, discussing how to make the most of our time on this planet. The book resonated wildly – it was a number one bestseller, staying in the British top ten for 46 weeks.
Matt tweets regularly about mental health on social media to his audience of over 500K followers from across the world, generating an open discourse about mental health. Matt writes candidly about depression, anxiety and broader mental health and wellbeing to help both adults and children talk about, and manage, everything from day to day stress to serious mental health conditions.
This summer he toured with his critically acclaimed follow-up to Reasons to Stay Alive, called Notes on a Nervous Planet taking it to the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Meanwhile Matt’s latest children’s’ book The Truth Pixie Goes to School is generating lots of positive feedback from children and adults alike for the way the story addresses the stress that going to, or returning to, school can bring.