Book

Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst

Description

Behave explains how neurochemical and genetic factors cause the best and worst behaviours of our species.

Positives

1. Self-contained: Behave provides the necessary background knowledge in neuroscience, endocrinology, and biochemistry through apendices.
2. Good narrative: despite discussing complex scientific topics the author has organised the material into a narrative structure that makes the book feel more like a novel than a textbook.
3. Evidence-based: all scientific claims have appropriate citations and cases of conflicting credit are appropriately discussed.
4. Connects theory and practice: reading Behave teaches one about genetics and endicronology while connecting these concepts to cognitive biases and group behaviour.

Negatives

1. One dense book: despite presenting all the necessary background information it takes a significant amount of effort to go through it all and understand it for a reader without a background in the field.