The Upside of Irrationality: The Expected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and Home

Arielly examines the powerful sway that irrational motivations and urges have on our personal and professional lives. His discussion mixes both his personal experiences and a variety of research, including many experiments performed by him and colleagues. With his crisp English accent and assertive delivery, Simon Jones can be wonderful to listen to for much of the book. However, his own personality is so overpowering that it becomes difficult to remember that the conclusions are the author's—not the reader's. The difficulty to discern the authorial voice behind the narrator's is made more problematic as a creeping arrogance creeps into Jones's reading that the writer clearly did not intend. A Harper hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 12). (June)