Speaking in Thumbs

A Psychiatrist Decodes Your Relationship Texts So You Don't Have To

By: Mimi Winsberg

Narrated by: Mimi Winsberg, Barrett Leddy, Keylor Leigh, Kim Mai Guest, Lee Osorio, Robbie Daymond, Shimali De Silva

An essential look at the love language of texts, helping you decipher the personalities of online daters, the subtle signals from your romantic partner, and the red flags hiding in plain sight.

"Don't even think of swiping right again until you read this book.” (Christie Tate, author of Group)

When it comes to modern relationships, our thumbs do the talking. We swipe right into a stranger's life, flirt inside text bubbles, spill our hearts onto the screen, use emojis to convey desire, frustration, rage. Where once we pored over love letters, now we obsess over response times, or wonder why the three-dot ellipsis came . . . and went.

Nobody knows this better than Dr. Mimi Winsberg. A Harvard- and Stanford-trained psychiatrist, she cofounded a behavioral health startup while serving as resident psychiatrist at Facebook. Her work frequently finds her at the intersection of Big Data and Big Dating. Like all of us, Winsberg has been handed a smartphone accompanied by the urgent plea: "What does this mean?" Unlike all of us, she knows the answer. She is a text whisperer.

Speaking in Thumbs is a lively and indispensable guide to interpreting our most important medium of communication. Drawing from of-the-moment research and a treasure trove of real-life online dating chats, including her own, Winsberg helps you see past the surface and into the heart of the matter. What are the hallmarks of healthy attachment? How do we recognize deception? How can we draw out that important-but-sensitive piece of information—Do you want kids? Do you use drugs? Are you seeing someone else?—without sending a potential partner heading for the hills?

Insightful, timely, and impossible to put down, Speaking in Thumbs is an irresistible guide to the language of love. With wit and compassion, Winsberg empowers you to find and maintain real connection by reading between the lines.

©2022 Mimi Winsberg (P)2022 Random House Audio

Widely Applicable

The phenomena described go past the medium of dating apps and texts to a deep conversation about the intentional communication work we must do to maintain relationships.

Entertaining!

This engaging audiobook by the brilliant Mirene Winsberg titillates, educates and teaches. Personal anecdotes weaved seamlessly with research ( and literature)

Witty & Informative

The humor keeps you listening and the language empowers you to reflect on your own text exchanges. She connects common situations with specific terms to name the exchange (like naming emotions). The conversations are insightful and brilliantly deconstructed.