William's Reviews > Thinking, Fast and Slow

Writing about social psychology without it being profoundly boring or dumbing it down to the point of uselessness isn't easy. Because of this, usually a best selling psychology book is unreadable. Thinking Fast & Slow is neither of those things.

It walks the fine line of thoroughly explaining complex experiments without making the reader feel stupid. The author doesn't talk down to his audience but he doesn't leave them out in the ocean of psych terms.

There is an absurd amount of information in each chapter. Dozens of experiments and variations cause you to view human nature (and your own nature) in new ways that aren't exactly pleasant. A few times while reading the book I would see a passage, pause, consider the massive implications, and say, "Good lord" to myself.

The author isn't shy about pointing out his success but he isn't shy about announcing his failures either. Maybe he's a bit of a blowhard, but hey, he's a very smart blowhard. I would rather have a bit of a dick know what he's talking about than having a Mr. Rogers type figure who's sweet but a tad clueless.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys nonfiction or social psychology. It can be challenging at times but it's worth the effort. I would love to have this book at the front of my shelf because I think I would want to crack it open and blow my mind all over again.