An author who writes books about the benefits of being irrational? Sounds like a book we shouldn’t put on the list of things to read, but shying away from quick assumptions, Dan Ariely a New York Times best-selling author and social scientist, isn’t really full of complete nonsense. His first book, Predictably Irrational, explained how biases can cause folks to make unwise decisions and lead to his sophomore book, The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic At Work and Home. This one goes deeper into irrational behavior by exploring both its negative and positive effects. Said to open the mind up about job motivations, habits and relationships and the purpose of life, I’d have to be irrational to say this book won’t open the mind for some quality thinking. Ariely will discuss and sign the new book at Joseph-Beth Booksellers this evening. 7 p.m. Joseph Beth Booksellers, 4345 Barclay Downs Drive. 704-602-9800. www.josephbeth.com.
This article appears in Jun 8-14, 2010.
