Interview with Richard Docwra, author of Humanise: How knowing ourselves could change the world
Richard Docwra, author of Humanise: How knowing ourselves could change the world recommends a very relevant group of books! Before jumping into the interview, please check out Richard's book:
Description from Blackwells: (All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
Humanise: How knowing ourselves could change the world
Do you think you understand people? Think again.
Most of us have a completely inaccurate picture of how we, and other human beings, think and behave. This leads us to set unrealistic expectations for ourselves, build societies that actually harm us, and struggle to solve the major problems facing our species.
In this ground-breaking book, Richard Docwra reveals the astonishing truth about how human beings think and behave and shows how this knowledge could help us address some of our biggest challenges, from violence to climate change, and build a better future. It argues that we need to humanise the societies we have built around us if we are to flourish and survive as a species.
It is a book of big ideas that will challenge your most cherished beliefs about yourself, and the ideas, institutions and societies that surround you.
Buy On:
Bookshop.org US $25.10
Blackwells £17.60
Waterstones £19.99
Q. Do you have a favourite smart thinking book (and why that book)?
Letters to a Young Contrarian by Christopher Hitchens. Description from Bookshop.org: (All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
'Letters to a young contrarian' by Christopher Hitchens. It may not be the most obvious example of a smart thinking book, but the advice in it could not be smarter. It contains a range of hard-won wisdom and advice to people who want to think critically, stand up to power and call out lies and obfuscation - from any source. It gives the reader courage to think for themselves.
Letters to a Young Contrarian
In Letters to a Young Contrarian, bestselling author and world-class provocateur Christopher Hitchens inspires the radicals, gadflies, mavericks, rebels, and angry young (wo)men of tomorrow. Exploring the entire range of 'contrary positions'--from noble dissident to gratuitous nag--Hitchens introduces the next generation to the minds and the misfits who influenced him, invoking such mentors as Emile Zola, Rosa Parks, and George Orwell.
As is his trademark, Hitchens pointedly pitches himself in contrast to stagnant attitudes across the ideological spectrum. No other writer has matched Hitchens's understanding of the importance of disagreement--to personal integrity, to informed discussion, to true progress, to democracy itself.
Buy On:
Bookshop.org UK £14.24
Bookshop.org US $15.80
Blackwells £10.99
Waterstones £14.99
Q. What's the most recent smart thinking book you've read (and how would you rate it)?
Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity by Sander van der Linden. Description from Bookshop.org: (All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
'Foolproof' by Prof Sander van der Linden. It uses the latest evidence from psychology to explore why people fall for misinformation, and what we can do to build our immunity to it - both as individuals and in society more generally. It's psychological science written in an interesting, accessible and useful way - and I refer to it in my new book, 'Humanise'.
Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity
Fake news. Alternative facts. Conspiracy theories. Misinformation is one of the defining problems of our age, and despite what we may think, we are all susceptible.
So how and why does misinformation spread? And, more importantly, what can we do about it? Sander van der Linden, a Cambridge University professor and leading expert, takes us through the psychology of conspiratorial thinking and equips us with the tools needed to help stop the spread of misinformation once and for all.
Buy On:
Bookshop.org UK £10.44
Bookshop.org US $17.66
Blackwells £10.77
Waterstones £10.99
Q. Do you have a favourite childhood book?
Richard Scarry's Funniest Storybook Ever! by Richard Scarry. Description from Bookshop.org: (All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
The ones I remember most fondly are the various Richard Scarry books - and I'm delighted to have enjoyed them all over again several years ago with my daughter! The mixture of humour, interesting things happening and gentle paced learning about the world is unbeatable.
Richard Scarry's Funniest Storybook Ever!
Welcome to the busy world of Richard Scarry! New in picture book format, every page is packed with pictures and zany stories, with lots of details to spot.
There are fifteen fabulous Scarry stories in this hilarious book. Read how Rabbit gets stuck to the road, and how little Tanglefoot trips over everything in sight! With stories such as ‘The Talking Bread’ and ‘Uncle Willie and the Pirates’, there is enough action here to satisfy the most demanding reader.
Buy On:
Bookshop.org UK £7.59
Bookshop.org US $16.73
Blackwells £7.99
Waterstones £7.99
Q. Do you prefer reading on paper, Kindle or listening to an audiobook?
I try to avoid screens as much as possible, so I love reading paper books. I do a lot of long-distance trail running too, so audiobooks can be very useful when I need some distraction on runs!
Q. Do you have a favourite bookshop (and why that shop)?
I love most independent bookshops that have been designed and run with an understanding what it means to be a reader. Ideally, cosy places with lots of little rooms and quiet spaces to browse and luxuriate in literature.
Many thanks to Richard for recommending a very relevant group of books! Please don't forget to check out Humanise: How knowing ourselves could change the world.
Daryl
Image Copyrights: (Humanise: How knowing ourselves could change the world), Basic Books (Letters to a Young Contrarian), HarperCollins Publishers (Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity), HarperCollins Publishers (Richard Scarry's Funniest Storybook Ever!).
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