Emotional

Emotional

The New Thinking About Feelings

Summary

'Both a brilliant scholar and a great writer, Leonard Mlodinow guides us through the fascinating science of what we feel, and why - and what we can do about it. I learned a lot from this wonderful book' Rick Hanson

We've been told we need to master our emotions and think rationally to succeed. But cutting-edge science shows that feelings are every bit as important to our success as thinking.

You make hundreds of decisions every day, from what to eat for breakfast to how to influence people, and not one of them could be made without the essential component of emotion. It has long been held that thinking and feeling are separate and opposing forces in our behaviour. But as best-selling author Leonard Mlodinow tells us, extraordinary advances in psychology and neuroscience have proven that emotions are as critical to our well-being as thinking.

How can you connect better with others? How can you improve your relationship to frustration, fear, and anxiety? What can you do to live a happier life? The answers lie in understanding emotions. Taking us on a journey from the labs of pioneering scientists to real-world scenarios that have flirted with disaster, Mlodinow shows us how our emotions help, why they sometimes hurt, and what we can make of the difference.

Cutting-edge research and deep insights into our evolution, biology, and neuroscience promise to help us understand our emotions better and maximize their benefits. Told with characteristic clarity and fascinating stories, Mlodinow's exploration of the new science of feelings is an essential guide to making the most of one of nature's greatest gifts to us.

Reviews

  • This exploration of the interplay of emotion and thought is fascinating. I marvel at the skill that enables Mlodinow to crunch so much information in a compelling way. Emotional shows that rather than being counterproductive, emotions enrich our lives and understanding them better equips us to realise "what it means to be humans"
    Financial Times

About the author

Leonard Mlodinow

Leonard Mlodinow is the best selling author of The Drunkard's Walk, Subliminal and Elastic. He co-authored two books with Stephen Hawking and later wrote an acclaimed memoir, Stephen Hawking, about their time together. He has written for television, including multiple episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, as well as helping Steven Spielberg and Robin Williams make a video game. There are now over one million copies of Leonard Mlodinow's books in print.
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