Author:George Orwell
'The general uncertainty as to what is really happening makes it easier to cling to lunatic beliefs'
Biting and timeless reflections on patriotism, prejudice and power, from the man who wrote about his nation better than anyone.
Penguin Modern: fifty new books celebrating the pioneering spirit of the iconic Penguin Modern Classics series, with each one offering a concentrated hit of its contemporary, international flavour. Here are authors ranging from Kathy Acker to James Baldwin, Truman Capote to Stanislaw Lem and George Orwell to Shirley Jackson; essays radical and inspiring; poems moving and disturbing; stories surreal and fabulous; taking us from the deep South to modern Japan, New York's underground scene to the farthest reaches of outer space.
Awe-inspiring … This is the best scientific book written for non-specialists that I have ever read. You will learn more about human nature than in any other book I can think of, and you will be inspired
—— Henry Marsh, author of Do No HarmIt’s no exaggeration to say that Behave is one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read
—— Wall Street JournalBehave is the best detective story ever written, and the most important. If you've ever wondered why someone did something – good or bad, vicious or generous – you need to read this book. If you think you already know why people behave as they do, you need to read this book. In other words, everybody needs to read it. It should be available on prescription (side effects: chronic laughter; highly addictive). They should put Behave in hotel rooms instead of the Bible: the world would be a much better, wiser place
—— Kate Fox, author of Watching the EnglishMagisterial … This extraordinary survey of the science of human behaviour takes the reader on an epic journey … Sapolsky makes the book consistently entertaining, with an infectious excitement at the puzzles he explains … a miraculous synthesis of scholarly domains
—— Steven Poole , GuardianTruly all-encompassing … detailed, accessible, fascinating
—— TelegraphRarely does an almost 800-page book keep my attention from start to finish, but Behave is exceptional in its scale, scope, detail and writing style ... Sapolsky places what makes us special in the wider context of humans as animals with brains that are fundamentally similar to those of other species. It is the first book that does so comprehensively enough to qualify as a guide to human behaviour
—— Frans de Waal , ScienceA miraculous book, by far the best treatment of violence, aggression, and competition ever. Its depth and breadth of scholarship are amazing, building on Sapolsky’s own research and his vast knowledge of the neurobiology, genetic, and behavioral literature. All this is done brilliantly with a light and funny touch that shows why Sapolsky is recognized as one of the greatest teachers in science today
—— Paul Ehrlich, author of Human NaturesA great writer and a superb guide to human nature, Sapolsky shows you how all the perspectives and systems connect, and he makes you laugh and marvel along the way. A beautifully crafted work about the biology of morality
—— Jonathan Haidt, author of The Righteous MindOne of the best scientist-writers of our time
—— Oliver SacksBehave is like a great historical novel, with excellent prose and encylopedic detail. It traces the most important story that can ever be told
—— E O WilsonAs wide as it is deep, this book is colorful, electrifying, and moving. Sapolsky leverages his deep expertise to ask the most fundamental questions about being human
—— David Eagleman, author of IncognitoMarvellous. Behave gives us the knowledge of how to manifest more of our best selves and less of our worst, individually and as a society
—— Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of HabitOne of the finest natural history writers around
—— The New York TimesRobert Sapolsky's students must love him ... witty, erudite and passionate about clear communication ... the implications of fascinating scientific findings are illuminated through topical stories ... then Sapolsky reaches for the big, synthetic pay-offs, examining how, together, these insights can enhance our understanding of the forces that lead to tribalism, violence, dehumanization and war - as well as tolerance, empathy and peace ... The analysis is arresting and the writing is often moving ... It is impossible not to deeply admire a project bold enough to ask an entire field to work to create a more just and peaceful world
—— NatureSapolsky’s book shows in exquisite detail how culture, context and learning shape everything our genes, brains, hormones and neurons do
—— Times Literary SupplementAn ambitious and amusingly written explanation of why humans act as they do
—— GuardianFor sheer ambition, it's hard to beat Robert Sapolsky's new book. Its goal is nothing less than a new way of seeing ourselves
—— New ScientistA crammed compendium of scientific findings, organized in an ingenious way
—— SpectatorBehavioural tour-de-force
—— Derek Beres , Big ThinkThere has never been a better time for Robert Sapolsky's Behave: the Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst to appear. For those as perplexed and conflicted as me about such seismic political events as Brexit and the election of US President Donald Trump, the book helps not only to tease apart the factors that can lead people to behave in ways that seem to make no sense, but also to explain our own reaction. There is no part of the current craziness of the world this book does not touch, from terrorism and nationalism to nuclear posturing and ethnic cleansing… It is brilliant and insightful, lucid and conversational, authoritative, and fair to different points of view. It is the best guide I know of to the vicissitudes of human behaviour, an antidote to sensationalist easy answers… Behave is the antidote to all those pop psychology books that promise the secret of why we do what we do
—— Philip Ball , LancetA wonderfully lucid, scholarly and witty account of the biological basis of human behavior… Once you have read it, you will see neither yourself nor your fellow humans in the same way as before
—— Henry Marsh , New StatesmanA masterly cross-disciplinary scientific study of human behaviour.
—— New York Times Top Books of 2017Excellent – we get fascinating analysis of how we think, how we emote, how we act.
—— William Leith , Evening StandardBotsman guides the reader on an enjoyable accessible, but cautiously skeptical, tour through this hugely transformative, but barely recognized, shift in our sometimes-irrational approach to trust
—— Winnipeg Free PressAs Botsman drives deeper and darker, she sheds more and more light, her book [is] rapidly becoming brilliant
—— DialogueThank you for writing this book. It is a must read.
—— Activist Bisi AlimiOne of the best books we have ever read. Honest, thought provoking and much needed.
—— Q Scene magazineFinally started to read Straight Jacket. I’m already blown away. An incredibly honest and insightful read. Bravo Matthew.
—— Journalist Tom KnightThis book should have been written a long time ago, but it wasn't...Everyone, no matter what their background, will benefit from reading this book. A much-needed and healing work of tough love, written with love.
—— John GrantA sensitive subject, brilliantly and intelligently handled.
—— Evan DavisAn excoriating book, Straight Jacket: How to be Gay and Happy delves into contemporary gay culture to address a plethora of issues gay people continue to face in 2016.
—— AttitudeInsightful, inclusive, clever and engaging
—— Jeremy Langmead