Does it seem to you that we have become more fragile? Not only people, but culture, climate -- even whole countries -- seem brittle, one step away from crisis and catastrophe.

In the latest Book Case podcast, my colleague Dr. Dan Lewis and I review two new books on the subject. Not only do they provide a provocative explanation for this trend – the way we think about risk and growth is wrong, even harmful – but also a number of concrete tools readers can apply to actually benefit from uncertainty and danger.

Here’s the video link if you prefer to watch: https://youtu.be/uWibz43xTko.

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What ails the world? Too little or too much rationality? A lack of curiosity or failure to face facts?

In this episode of the Book Case, Dan and Scott review two top selling books, each emphasizing a different solution for what ails the world and human interactions. Should you "take two" and call us in the morning, or read neither.

Listen in for the answer!

Here are the books reviewed (or mentioned) in the bookcase:

1. Rationality (Pinker): https://amzn.to/3IiSjSs

2. In Awe (O'Leary): https://amzn.to/3IgOL2Y

3. Heart and Soul of Change (Hubble et al.): https://amzn.to/3WQgeg2

4. Rational Choice in an Incertain World (Dawes): https://amzn.to/3WBgNKS

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Dan and Scott return with two books on love. The first, by psychoanalyst Erich Fromm, was published 66 years ago. The latter, "The Course on Love," a novel. Both are timely volumes on the status of interpersonal relationships in our time.

The Course on Love: https://amzn.to/3rt14j7

The Art of Loving: https://amzn.to/3SDUnH4

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In this Book Case, Dan and Scott review two recent books about the pandemic. Each offers a different, scientifically-based take on the successes and failures of pandemic policy. Special focus is placed on addressing the impact of treating the last two years as a virus rather than human-factors problem.

The books:

1. Pandemia by Alex Berenson (https://amzn.to/3HVQGrA)

2. The Premonition by Michael Lewis (https://amzn.to/3bzcsVK)

3. The Fifth Risk (https://amzn.to/3NpG7hq)

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Dan and Scott return to discuss two books. The first is what many consider the most authoritative volume on psychotherapy: The Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change. Published in multiple editions since the late 1970's, these massive volumes review the evidence about "what works," separating fluff and nonsense from facts. The second book is, "Ghost Hunters," Deborah Blum's delight history of the search for life after death.

What, you might reasonably ask, could these vastly different books have in common? Listen and learn!

Here are the links to the books:

Handbook: https://amzn.to/3mBNfwb

Ghost Hunter: https://amzn.to/3aVfMKN

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Our attentional resources are easily overwhelmed and frequently impaired by self-confirmation bias. What can we do to see the world more accurately? How can we get the feedback needed to improve our lives, work, and decision making? These are the questions addressed in episode 5 of "The Bookcase."

The Scout Mindset (https://amzn.to/34wkTyg)

Did you spot the Gorilla (https://amzn.to/3CpXf2R)

The Invisible Gorilla (https://amzn.to/3vVqhWP)

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