Mark A. Williams is a cognitive neuroscientist who's been learning about the human brain for 25 years. In his new book: The Connected Species, he explains what science now knows about WHY we do things the way we do. For example:

"Yes, one of our greatest attributes, connection, is the reason for one of our most dreadful traits, discrimination. This drive to connect can help to explain many of the issues we see in our society today, including racism, sexism, fanaticism, extremism, and nationalism."

Most all of us are very social animals from birth to death. Showing how this works from the inside shines light on unexplored motivations. As you learn why others behave the way they do, you see yourself more clearly.

Mark has a conversational style that makes us "get" his explanations in ways that feel natural and intuitive. And even if you've read the latest research in an area he's covering, his personal interactions with other researchers makes it fresh and interesting.

You feel good while you read this, even if the things your reading about are not always nice.

Thank you NetGalley, and thank you Rowman & Littlefield, for allowing me to read this book early. All these opinions are my own.

Informative but accessible to the reader, this book discussed how connection works and why it’s important. Very enjoyable!