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seawang 's review for:
The Trouble with Testosterone: And Other Essays on the Biology of the Human Predicament
by Robert M. Sapolsky
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
I have a deep appreciation and admiration for the author and the insights he generates through the essays in this book. Dr. Sapolsky is an incredibly effective writer and makes the somewhat heady topics addressed very accessible. Although each essay is on a unique subject, the overarching theme, at least as I understand it, are the ways in which studies in the topics at hand (psychology, primatology, neurobiology) can lead us to a better and more compassionate understanding of ourselves, each other, and the human condition more broadly.
The writing is often humorous, but not at the expense of earnestness or sincerity. Some of the essays were surprisingly personal/emotional (among them one of my favorites, 'The Dissolution of Ego Boundaries and the Fit of My Father's Shirt'.)
All of these essays work as stand-alones, but I did get the sense that they were curated and are most effectively read from start to finish. The only essay that seemed perhaps a little out of place was 'The Dangers of Fallen Soufflés in the Developing World'.
Most of the essays are quite short- I think 15 pages or less on average, but the longest and possibly most controversial essay is last in the collection. As others have mentioned in the reviews, this essay, 'Circling the Blanket for God', discusses the relationship between neurobiology and religious belief/religious ritual. While these ideas and relationships are not novel, his perspective is unique, and I think he took great care to approach the subject with compassion and respect.
I enjoyed reading this collection and readily recommend it.
The writing is often humorous, but not at the expense of earnestness or sincerity. Some of the essays were surprisingly personal/emotional (among them one of my favorites, 'The Dissolution of Ego Boundaries and the Fit of My Father's Shirt'.)
All of these essays work as stand-alones, but I did get the sense that they were curated and are most effectively read from start to finish. The only essay that seemed perhaps a little out of place was 'The Dangers of Fallen Soufflés in the Developing World'.
Most of the essays are quite short- I think 15 pages or less on average, but the longest and possibly most controversial essay is last in the collection. As others have mentioned in the reviews, this essay, 'Circling the Blanket for God', discusses the relationship between neurobiology and religious belief/religious ritual. While these ideas and relationships are not novel, his perspective is unique, and I think he took great care to approach the subject with compassion and respect.
I enjoyed reading this collection and readily recommend it.