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r0b3rta's review against another edition
4.0
Overall good book. Gottschall states we are storytelling animals and goes on to back that theory. Even when we dream we are telling ourselves stories. Interesting point on changing beliefs:
"In fact, fiction seems to be more effective at changing beliefs than nonfiction, which is designed to persuade through argument and evidence."
He touches on technology and stories and his thoughts on the future.
"In fact, fiction seems to be more effective at changing beliefs than nonfiction, which is designed to persuade through argument and evidence."
He touches on technology and stories and his thoughts on the future.
ashufnagle's review against another edition
5.0
Gottschall has a voice like no other—he is simply captivating. As well as laugh out loud humorous. You can’t help but be engaged by his ability to spin a tale. He flawlessly demonstrates why as humans we are bewitched by stories—put simply, they offer us creative opportunities to “fill in the gaps” At times this text can be frantic but in the best possible way. The pace makes it an absolute joy to read it. My highest recommendation!
heidihaverkamp's review against another edition
1.0
I've read a lot of this elsewhere. The first couple chapters had some interesting nuggets, but I didn't find the book all that engaging.
denouement's review against another edition
2.0
DNF. I wanted to read all of this book for my thesis and the idea is so interesting. But after all the baseless conclusions the author arrived at from simply nowhere (what was that whole section about how the difference in play between boys and girls comes from, of course, biology and not the obvious conclusion - that would actually aid the point the author was trying to make, mind you - that story and the stimuli we give children somehow shapes them from even earlier than we thought??), and they just kept being piled on and on and on, i just had to let drop this book. How disappointing.
bookjerm's review against another edition
2.0
This book was just ok for me. I was expecting something more profound / insightful about humanity's attraction and ability to create narrative. This never quite delivered for me. I felt like much of the pages of this short book were lengthy anecdotes, which I felt buried the point of a lot of the chapters.
billmc's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting overview but I agree with other reviewers that it didn't seem to offer much new. In addition, there were times when the analysis seemed superficial. For example, on page 96, he talks about "...split-brain patients were a boon to neuroscience. Thanks largely to these patients, scientists were able to isolate and study the workings of the two hemispheres of the brain. They discovered that the left brain is specialized..." He suggests that 1962 was a breakthrough year in the study of brain function localization. In actuality, doctors and neuroscientists were studying localization as early as the late 1800s by looking of victims of both strokes and traumatic head injury.
yousrabushehri's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely an interesting read. A lot of the stuff was pretty much common sense to me or things that I've been told or heard of before as an undergrad English major and MA student.
Overall, it was an easy read. Funny and entertaining and really does give great examples to back up Gottschall's claim of the Human being a Storytelling Animal.
Overall, it was an easy read. Funny and entertaining and really does give great examples to back up Gottschall's claim of the Human being a Storytelling Animal.