Book Review: “The Social Animal” by David Brooks
Leave a commentSeptember 24, 2014 by Austin McNair
The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement by David Brooks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not a story and not sociology textbook, yet somehow both at the same time. David Brooks’ “The Social Animal” is a go-to resource for seeing how our unconscious minds resonate into our lives on a daily basis without our permission. The book is told as a simple story but is interlaced with peer-reviewed social science data and speaks deeply into why we make the decisions we do. It is hybrid book which both educates and entertains. Brooks has a sharp eye for nuance and can humorously depict all sorts of characters.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about how we operate as humans. The book allows us the chance to step back and gain perspective on what drives us as social animals.