Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion elicits positive neurological responses: an observational study
Studies have shown that involuntary laughter in humans occurs most frequently when an incongruous, or unexpected event occurs within a ‘safe’ situation (1). Since ‘unexpectedness’ plays a key role in the neurological humour pathway, it is to be expected that a sequel to a well-loved humorous book which features the same fictional characters would elicit a significant (p<0.05) decrease in involuntary laughter among its readership. In other words, if much of the humour in the first book occurred due to the erratic and unexpected behaviour of one particular character, then one would expect a negative association between familiarity with the characters and the involuntary laughter response.
This seems to be the case with The Rosie Effect, and it is noteworthy that the author’s addition of a new environment in which the characters interact (New York City, New York, USA) does not significantly increase the unexpectedness quotient (p=0.49).
Nevertheless, studies in neuroimaging have differentiated between ‘the affective experience of mirth’ (involuntary laughter response) and humour detection (appreciating the joke) (2). This novel scored highly on the validated humour detection index which compensated for the reduction in the affective experience of mirth.
Furthermore, several secondary outcomes were positive. This book scored highly on other enjoyment indices: stimulation of the bilateral posterior superior temporal cortex (associated with characters and goals)(3); activation of the bilateral superior frontal regions (relating to sense of place and environment) (3); and activity in the insula (associated with feeling emotions)(4).
After careful analysis of the data, I conclude that this book was of a significantly (p=0.02) higher quality than average.
1. Fry, W. (2008) Ask the Brains: Why Do We Laugh When Someone Falls? Scientific American.
2. Moran, JM. et al (2004) Neural correlates of humor detection and appreciation. NeuroImage 21 (3) 1055-1060
3. Speer, NK. et al (2009) Reading Stories Activates Neural Representations of Visual and Motor Experiences. Psychological Science 20 (8)
4. Stephens, GJ. (2010) Speaker–listener neural coupling underlies successful communication. PNAS 107 (32) 14425–14430
Studies have shown that involuntary laughter in humans occurs most frequently when an incongruous, or unexpected event occurs within a ‘safe’ situation (1). Since ‘unexpectedness’ plays a key role in the neurological humour pathway, it is to be expected that a sequel to a well-loved humorous book which features the same fictional characters would elicit a significant (p<0.05) decrease in involuntary laughter among its readership. In other words, if much of the humour in the first book occurred due to the erratic and unexpected behaviour of one particular character, then one would expect a negative association between familiarity with the characters and the involuntary laughter response.
This seems to be the case with The Rosie Effect, and it is noteworthy that the author’s addition of a new environment in which the characters interact (New York City, New York, USA) does not significantly increase the unexpectedness quotient (p=0.49).
Nevertheless, studies in neuroimaging have differentiated between ‘the affective experience of mirth’ (involuntary laughter response) and humour detection (appreciating the joke) (2). This novel scored highly on the validated humour detection index which compensated for the reduction in the affective experience of mirth.
Furthermore, several secondary outcomes were positive. This book scored highly on other enjoyment indices: stimulation of the bilateral posterior superior temporal cortex (associated with characters and goals)(3); activation of the bilateral superior frontal regions (relating to sense of place and environment) (3); and activity in the insula (associated with feeling emotions)(4).
After careful analysis of the data, I conclude that this book was of a significantly (p=0.02) higher quality than average.
1. Fry, W. (2008) Ask the Brains: Why Do We Laugh When Someone Falls? Scientific American.
2. Moran, JM. et al (2004) Neural correlates of humor detection and appreciation. NeuroImage 21 (3) 1055-1060
3. Speer, NK. et al (2009) Reading Stories Activates Neural Representations of Visual and Motor Experiences. Psychological Science 20 (8)
4. Stephens, GJ. (2010) Speaker–listener neural coupling underlies successful communication. PNAS 107 (32) 14425–14430
Funny and illuminating insight into human differences
I am married to a 'Don', although he's not as far out on the bell curve as Simsion's creation. Don's and Rosie's relationship feels authentic, however two books about this relationship are enough for me. There are only so many insights to wring out of the one-liner situation of an extreme form of the man/woman interaction and I think Simsion has done well to write a second book that carried me to the final page, albeit one that was less explosively comic than the first. I will not be tempted by another instalment even though I anticipate one.
Once again, I loved Don's character. Don approaches impending parenthood in such a scientific, yet earnest way.
I really disliked Rosie's character in this book. While I found her merely annoying in The Rosie Project, I found her to be cold and judgmental in this book. Shame on her for not thinking Don could be a good parent when she wouldn't even let him discuss the pregnancy and she kept drinking caffeine and alcohol!
I really disliked Rosie's character in this book. While I found her merely annoying in The Rosie Project, I found her to be cold and judgmental in this book. Shame on her for not thinking Don could be a good parent when she wouldn't even let him discuss the pregnancy and she kept drinking caffeine and alcohol!
Something of a sophomore slump. I was enthusiastic about The Rosie Project, and liked where this was headed in the first quarter. However, more supporting characters are introduced than the story needs, leading to some narrative bloat and underdevelopment. The story takes a painful (but perhaps inevitable) direction that brings it into too-close-to-home territory for me, so close that the tidy rom-com resolution feels forced, hollow and a bit of a betrayal of the series' emotional realism. Nevertheless, there was enough that I liked about the first book intact (albeit more spread out) that I'm eager to follow these characters into the next chapters of their lives. Perhaps a volume from Rosie's point of view would make up for her less than stellar development in this one?
I appreciated the humor in this novel. The first Rosie book was wonderful and this second installment did not disappoint. Don Tillman is a wonderful character and he illustrates that all of us have contributions to make, especially those of us that are not in the "normal" range.
Definitely not as good as the first one. I didn't like how mean everyone was to Don and I think Rosie turned into a horrible bitch. I thought the end was too rushed and not believable. But I liked the addition of Dave and George. All together not a strong sequel but enjoyable
I'm sad to say this book was a letdown. The emotion and interest in the first Don Tillman story is lackluster and forced in the sequel. I frequently felt myself asking, "Is this over yet?"
I wanted to love this book so much because I so very much enjoyed the first one. This one dragged on and the pace of the book was lacking in addition to one of the main characters not staying true to herself. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.