Magic Pill

The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs

By: Johann Hari

Narrated by: Johann Hari

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

The bestselling author of Lost Connections and Stolen Focus offers a revelatory look at the new drugs transforming weight loss as we know it—from his personal experience on Ozempic to our ability to heal our society’s dysfunctional relationship with food, weight, and our bodies.

In January 2023, Johann Hari started to inject himself once a week with Ozempic, one of the new drugs that produces significant weight loss. He wasn’t alone—some predictions suggest that in a few years, a quarter of the U.S. population will be taking these drugs. While around 80 percent of diets fail, someone taking one of the new drugs will lose up to a quarter of their body weight in six months. To the drugs’ defenders, here is a moment of liberation from a condition that massively increases your chances of diabetes, cancer, and an early death.

Still, Hari was wildly conflicted. Can these drugs really be as good as they sound? Are they a magic solution—or a magic trick? Finding the answer to this high-stakes question led him on a journey from Iceland to Minneapolis to Tokyo, and to interview the leading experts in the world on these questions. He found that along with the drug’s massive benefits come twelve significant potential risks.

He also found that these drugs radically challenge what we think we know about shame, willpower, and healing. What do they reveal about the nature of obesity itself? What psychological issues begin to emerge when our eating patterns are suddenly disrupted? Are the drugs a liberation or a further symptom of our deeply dysfunctional relationship with food?

These drugs are about to change our world, for better and for worse. Everybody needs to understand how they work—scientifically, emotionally, and culturally. MAGIC PILL is an essential guide to the revolution that has already begun, and which one leading expert argues will be as transformative as the invention of the smartphone.

* This audiobook edition contains a downloadable PDF with additional resources and endnotes.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Johann Hari (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Compelling, thoughtful and fascinating, a revealing and inspiring meditation on weight loss, addiction, and the new drugs that may change the way we think about and treat obesity.”—Maia Szalavitz, author of The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog

“Magic Pill may be the most revolutionary, honest and important book you read about weight loss, the body and food. As is always the case with a Johann Hari book, what appears to be a story about the drug, Ozempic turns out to be a portal into the deepest investigation and revelation on how to live a healthy life.”—V (Formerly Eve Ensler), The Vagina Monologues, Reckoning

“A deep-dive into Ozempic couldn’t be more timely—and necessary—to get the full scope of how and why everyone is suddenly skinny!”—Andy Cohen

Mind shifting!

We all have preconceived notions toward things and this book impacted and changed my thoughts. Would strongly recommend!

Very, very well written and insightful book.

Bravo J. Hari! I literally didn’t want the book to end. A great subject(s) leaving so much to ponder. Masterfully and beautifully written and narrated. Highly recommended.

Magic Pill at your own Risk lol

This was a really good listen of a nonfiction and well researched topic. This book is very needed in the time we are in when it comes to ozempic, body health physically and mentally. It definitely can help in making the decision for you is getting on this weight loss drug necessary or worth it. He had me believe he was very extremely obese until later chapters but this is a great starter and guide for multiple conversations when it comes to the food and health climate we are in currently. Listening to this paired with reading uglies by Scott Westfield was very healing and thought provoking.

Wow! This is it… the last “diet” book you’ll ever need

So informative! This journey takes us deep into the scientific reason we ALL STRUGGLE with weight loss and WHY it’s so hard to keep off! Great narration, it reads like a story! Bravo!

The good, the bad and the ugly.

A worthwhile and engaging read.

Johann Hari sees the danger to himself and others who use weight loss drugs. I was gratified to find that a healthy diet is still the best medicine, and that will be my personal choice. But there are many more who, like the author, prefer to chance the serious side effects described here and do it the "modern way". To each his own!

Fantastic Book

This was a phenomenal book and I loved the narration. I bought his other books after finishing this one.

A warning for us all

An informative journey on the decisions and challenges to being a human in this modern food environment.

Super informative and unbiased

This was a great book! The author is unbiased and elaborates on many topics. The narrator speaks clearly.

Fabulous book!!!

Narration, research, personnel experience, all wear excellent! I loved this book. I agree 100% that the food system in the US needs to change.

How do we help our bodies and minds gain true and lasting health?

I liked the objectivity of the author in trying to be open about the pros and cons of the GLP-1s. He seemed to be very informed, and cited studies, not just giving his opinions. I really liked the chapter on the Japanese culture, food and low rate of obesity. As an American I enjoyed listening to the British accent ;)