‘Want to get smarter quickly? Read this book.’
You are Not So Smart
Why Your Memory is Mostly Fiction, Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself
David McRaneyHow many of your Facebook friends do you think you know? Would you help a stranger in need? Do you know why you’re so in love with your new smartphone? The truth is: you’re probably wrong. You are not so smart.
In this international bestseller, award-winning journalist David McRaney examines the assorted ways we mislead ourselves every single day. A psychology course with all the boring bits taken out, prepare for a whirlwind tour of the latest research in the subject, fused with a healthy dose of humour and wit. You’ll discover just how irrational you really are, which delusions keep you sane, how to boost your productivity, and why you’ve never kept a New Year’s resolution.
Reviews
David Eagleman, author of The Brain: The Story of You
‘Simply wonderful. An engaging and useful guide to how our brilliant brains can go badly wrong.’
Richard Wiseman, bestselling author of 59 Seconds
‘Populist and funny.’
Evening Standard
‘A much-needed field guide to the limits of our so-called consciousness. McRaney presents a witty case for just how witless we all are.’
William Poundstone, author of How to Predict the Unpredictable and Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?
‘Every chapter is a welcome reminder that you are not so smart-yet you're never made to feel dumb. You Are Not So Smart is a dose of psychology research served in tasty anecdotes that will make you better understand both yourself and the rest of us. It turns out we're much more irrational than most of us think, so give yourself every advantage you can and read this book.’
Alexis Ohanian - co-founder of Reddit.com
‘Fascinating... After reading this book, you'll never trust your brain again.’
Alex Boese, bestselling author of Elephants on Acid and Electrified Sheep
David McRaney
David McRaney is a journalist, author and podcaster. His blog exploring how we delude ourselves laid the groundwork for his first book, You Are Not So Smart, which became an international bestseller and was translated into fourteen languages. He lives in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. @davidmcraney davidmcraney.com
Author page
