Johann Hari and Stephen Fry on Stolen Focus

Why have we lost our ability to focus? What are the causes? And, most importantly, how do we get it back? Join 5x15 to hear about Johann Hari's journey to the heart of this problem and the solutions he found along the way in conversation with the one and only Stephen Fry. Crucially, they will talk about how – as individuals, and as a society – we can get our focus back, if we are determined to fight for it. Stephen Fry has described Stolen Focus as "a beautifully researched and argued exploration of the breakdown of humankind's ability to pay attention." Johann Hari is the author of two New York Times best-selling books: Chasing the Scream: the First and Last Days of the War on Drugs and Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions. His books are being developed for film and television, have been translated into 28 languages and have received praise from a very broad range of people including Oprah, Hillary Clinton, Tucker Carlson, Elton John, Naomi Klein and Glenn Greenwald. Johann has had more than 44 million views of his two TED talks, ‘Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong’ and ‘This Could Be Why You Are Depressed or Anxious’. Johann is also an award-winning journalist and he has written over the past decade for some of the world’s leading newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Guardian, the Spectator, Le Monde Diplomatique, the Melbourne Age, and Politico. Stephen Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter, film director and all-round national treasure. Fry has written and presented several documentary series, contributed columns and articles for newspapers and magazines, appears frequently on radio, reads for voice-overs and has written four novels and three volumes of autobiography, Moab Is My Washpot, The Fry Chronicles and his latest, More Fool Me. Fry’s Ties, the tales behind Stephen’s collection of ties, was published in November 2021 for the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Canada, during the summer of 2018 Stephen gave 13 presentations of his trilogy of one-man shows (39 performances in all) based on his book Mythos. In the summer of 2019 Stephen toured 7 UK theatres with the shows. 5x15 brings together outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories