psychology

Thumbs up for Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini. Psychology.

Okay, to be honest, this book did little for me, but that is not a flaw with the book. Influence is, rightfully, a basic touchpoint of pop psychology. The word “basic” is the problem: I had an atypical upbringing, and was well-educated in the art of psychological manipulation before I learned my seven-times table.… >> Read more

Thumbs up for Sex and the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World by Shereen El Feki. Sociology.

First of all, let’s start with: what a brilliantly clever cover! This book, however, is done a disservice by the too-broad subtitle: you’d think that “the Arab World” would be represented by data drawn from many countries, but not so; 90% of the book concerns Egypt.… >> Read more

Thumbs up for Mindhacker: 60 Tips, Tricks, and Games to Take Your Mind to the Next Level by Ron Hale-Evans. Psychology. Sometimes I want to write reviews that are essentially: if you’re the kind of person to whom this book sounds interesting, you should read it, because it is a really excellent version of what it says it is. Inevitably (having an interest in psychology in general and in improving brain performance in specific) I was familiar with some of the stuff in here, but it’s still an absolute treasure trove cram-packed with actionable processes to do such diverse things as easily learn to fingerspell, visualize four-dimensional objects, generate pseudorandom numbers in your head, psych yourself into a good mood, or up your scholar stats by getting a university library card even if you aren’t a student.… >> Read more