Johann Hari, born on January 21, 1979, is a British writer and journalist known for his books addressing social issues. He is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers, including "Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs," "Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions," and "Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention – and How to Think Deeply Again". His work often combines personal experiences with research to explore complex topics. Hari's "Chasing the Scream" was adapted into the Oscar-nominated film "The United States vs. Billie Holiday". He was also the Executive Producer of an eight-part television series starring Samuel L. Jackson.
Hari's work has been praised by figures ranging from Oprah Winfrey to Noam Chomsky. He has written for several leading publications, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and Politico. Hari has received awards such as "National Newspaper Journalist of the Year" from Amnesty International. In 2011, Hari resigned from The Independent after admitting to plagiarism and fabrication dating back to 2001, as well as making malicious edits to the Wikipedia pages of journalists who had criticized his conduct. His more recent book, "Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight Loss Drugs," which discusses his experience with semaglutide, was published in 2024 and has received mixed reviews. Hari splits his time between London and traveling for research.
