BREATH

3.3 is about a ridiculously important thing most of us take for granted. James Nestor dives into the emerging science of breath and takes readers around the globe, dipping into labs, visits patients who’ve cured themselves of disease, lost weight, and overcame depression through “whole breathing” techniques.

Nestor also introduces us to extreme athletes and monk masters who have used breath to perform superhuman feats. Better breathing is the new frontier. James Nestor is our knowledgeable tour guide, introducing us to a discovery about how much our lungs are capable of.

Nestor creates a human foil for this narrative by introducing a respected pulmonologist named Dr. Don Storey who thinks Nestor (his future-son-in-law, btw) is full of bologna at the start of the book. But, over the course of a year-and-a-half of research and talking, Storey admits Nestor has unearthed something ground-breaking.

Everyone knows how to breathe, but everyone is capable of breathing better. And the benefits are real, from increased endurance and mental balance to more effective dieting, the treatment of mental and physical illness, and seemingly superhuman feats of survival and control. It’s a book for athletes, doctors, and stressed out people looking for some peace of mind.

James Nestor is an experienced science journalist who makes himself a guinea pig for the breathing methods he uncovers. He also digs deep into the scientific studies that are verifying the potential benefits of focused breath. His book makes readers think about breathing in a whole new way, as something they can optimize through deliberate practice. It’s a mindset-shifting book and an invitation to explore a new practice or lifestyle.

Nestor's first book, DEEP (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014), was a BBC Book of the Week, a New York Times Editor's Choice, and a Finalist for a PEN Award. He is a contributor to Outside, Scientific American, and many other publications.

Nestor recently received a MacArthur grant to develop a short documentary based on the freediving research in DEEP. The film was co-funded by Annapurna Pictures, VRSE, and The New York Times and will be distributed on the front page of nytimes.com later this spring after Sundance, Tribeca and a premier at the MOMA.

DEEP has sold more than 30,000 copies in the U.S. and Canada, to date. The audience for 3.3 is bigger. It includes the exercise obsessives who loved Born to Run, and the spiritualist-athletes who flock to yoga, meditation and Whole Foods.

What’s 3.3 stand for? It’s the average length of a breath.