A revelatory exploration of how we can find meaning in the tumult of change, from a renowned cognitive scientist and host of the critically acclaimed podcast A Slight Change of Plans Life has a way of thwarting our best-laid plans. Out of nowhere, we're confronting the end of a relationship, an unexpected diagnosis, the loss of a job, or some other twist of fate. In these moments, it can feel like we're free-falling into the unknown.
As a cognitive scientist, Maya Shankar has spent decades studying the human mind. When an unwanted change in her own life left her reeling, she sought out people who had navigated major disruptions. In
The Other Side of Change, Shankar tells their riveting, singular stories and weaves in scientific insights to illuminate universal lessons hidden within them. The result is a rich portrait of our complex reactions to change and a deep well of wisdom we can draw from during these experiences.
Shankar invites us to rethink our relationship with change altogether. When a big change happens
to us, it can lead to profound change
within us. The unique stresses and demands of being thrust into a new reality can lead us to uncover new abilities, perspectives, and values, transforming us in extraordinary ways. What if we saw moments of upheaval as an opportunity to reimagine who we can be, rather than as something to just endure? What potential could we unlock within ourselves?
Whether you're processing a past change, grappling with a present one, or bracing for a future one, this book is a wise and thought-provoking companion to help you discover who you can become on the other side of change.
Author: Maya Shankar
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Published: 01/13/2026
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780593713686
About the Author
Maya Shankar is a cognitive scientist and creator of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans, previously named "Best Show of the Year" by Apple. She served as a senior policy advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and chaired the Social and Behavioral Sciences Team. She was also appointed as the first behavioral science advisor to the United Nations. Maya has a BA from Yale and a PhD from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive neuroscience at Stanford. She has been profiled by The New Yorker, has been a guest on NPR, CBS Mornings, and Today, and was featured as a neuroscience expert on National Geographic's Limitless with Chris Hemsworth. She is a former violin student of Itzhak Perlman at Juilliard. Maya lives with her husband in California.
