The Masters of Misery | Mark Scarborough

A quirky look at the thinking patterns that can make life feel harder than it needs to.

The Masters of Misery by Mark Scarborough takes a humorous and accessible look at patterns of thinking and behaviour that can contribute to unhappiness and keep us feeling stuck.

Through Mark's characteristically quirky approach, the book explores some of the ways our own thoughts, habits and responses can influence how we experience everyday life.

Rather than presenting these ideas through dense psychological language, The Masters of Misery uses humour and relatable concepts to encourage readers to recognise patterns in their own thinking and consider things from a different perspective.

Why we chose it

• Explores common thinking and behaviour patterns in an approachable way
• Uses humour and quirky illustrations to make psychological concepts easier to engage with
• Encourages self-reflection and greater awareness of our own patterns
• Offers a more accessible alternative to dense self-help material
• Can help open conversations about thoughts, habits and emotional wellbeing

What readers can explore

Through the book, readers can explore:

• Patterns of thinking that can influence how we feel
• Habits and responses that may keep us feeling stuck
• How we interpret everyday situations
• Greater awareness of our own thought patterns
• Different ways of looking at familiar situations

Who is it for?

The Masters of Misery is for readers interested in better understanding their own thinking patterns and behaviours through a light, approachable resource.

It's particularly suited to people who prefer humour, illustrations and straightforward explanations over traditional self-help books.

Product details

• Title: The Masters of Misery
• Author: Mark Scarborough
• Format: Softcover
• Illustrated
• Explores patterns of thinking and behaviour
• Uses humour and an accessible, quirky approach

ND-affirming note

Self-awareness isn't about finding another list of things that are "wrong" with us.

Sometimes recognising a familiar thinking pattern simply gives us more information about what's happening and creates space to respond differently.

About the author

Mark Scarborough was a clinical psychologist and author whose work focused on making psychological concepts practical and accessible for children, families and adults.

Mark held a Master of Clinical Psychology from the Australian National University and was a member of the Australian Psychological Society, the APS Clinical College and the International Association of Applied Psychology.

He created a range of approachable resources exploring anger, anxiety, emotional wellbeing and everyday psychological skills, including Angus the Angry Gremlin, Wart the Worry Ghost, It's Just Burnt Toast, The Masters of Misery and Shining Brightly.

Keeping Mark's resources accessible

Mark Scarborough wanted his resources to remain affordable and accessible to the people and families who could benefit from them. We're honoured to continue stocking his work and have intentionally kept our markup on these books low in keeping with that legacy.