A short life of the author
Matt Haig (b. 1975) was born on 3 July 1975 in Sheffield, England. He studied English and history at the University of Hull and has an MA from the University of Leeds. He suffered a breakdown in his twenties — a severe depression that brought him close to suicide — and this experience became the foundation of much of his subsequent writing about mental health.
Life and Career
Haig published several well-received novels — including The Dead Fathers Club (2006, a modern retelling of Hamlet), The Humans (2013, about an alien who takes over a mathematician’s life), and How to Stop Time (2017, about a man who ages very slowly) — before his two breakthrough books.
Reasons to Stay Alive (2015) — a memoir about his experience of depression, anxiety, and recovery — was a #1 UK bestseller and has been translated into over forty languages. It is one of the most widely read books about mental health in the English-speaking world.
The Midnight Library (2020) — about Nora Seed, who attempts suicide and finds herself in a library between life and death, where every book represents a life she could have lived if she had made different choices — sold over 10 million copies worldwide, was a #1 New York Times bestseller, won the Goodreads Choice Award, and was selected by numerous celebrity book clubs.
The Life Impossible (2024) continued his exploration of existential possibility.
Major Works and Themes
Haig writes about mental health, the value of ordinary life, and the philosophical weight of everyday choices. His tone is warm, accessible, and emotionally direct.
Key Works
- The Midnight Library (2020)
- Reasons to Stay Alive (2015)
- The Humans (2013)
Collecting Haig
The Midnight Library (2020, Canongate UK / Viking US) brings $15–$40. Reasons to Stay Alive (2015, Canongate) — UK first — brings $20–$50.