When the editor first offered me this book to review, I turned it down on the grounds that all the psychologists I cater for are doctoral candidates or post‐doctoral research workers and clinicians, so I am not really concerned with popular psychology. It was only after a more suitable reference librarian had failed him that I agreed to take it on. I am now glad that I did so, because this is a very good little book, well worthy of our recommendation.
Everybody knows a lot about psychology – why humans behave in the way they do, and what makes them alter their behaviour. In fact autism can almost be defined as the condition of knowing less about human psychology than is the human norm. This, in some ways, gives psychology an advantage over other sciences. It would be quite difficult to get away with the sort of bad science with which quacks in other fields advertise to the general public. One issue of last week's Guardian newspaper, for example, picked up (1) a new drink called Shark – “the dextrose in Shark comes entirely from grape sugar which... improves the quality of the other carbohydrates, and rapidly increases your energy levels” (2) Dr Eggers' Hypoxi Weight Loss Pod – “Dr Eggers' clinical trials show up to a 300 per cent reduction in size on problem areas through Hypoxi Therapy” and (3) Ecos Paints' EMR/ELF Radiation Shielding Wallpaint – “Brick and concrete are no barrier to EMR/ELF radiation.. Ecos Shielding Wallpaint gives up to 99 per cent shielding … ” (The words “up to” x per cent are a very neat let‐out.) On the other hand, comparatively few people notice, take an interest in, or really believe this sort of nonsense, whereas an awful lot of people take an interest in, and believe in, psychobabble. This has had a slightly deleterious effect on this book. The author found so much that needs debunking that I found myself having to thumb through it looking for positive information. Flipping quickly through leaves one with the slightly disconcerting feeling that psychologists have hardly discovered anything yet. This has also tempted the author into debunking exercises that are strictly speaking outside the realm of psychology, with interesting discussions on homeopathy, astrology, etc. The positive aspects are actually there, however, if you look for them carefully. Short sensible essays on topics like brain imaging, intelligence, or cognitive behaviour therapy are tucked neatly into the interstices between the denunciations of pseudoscience. I cannot see any entries in this book that I would not be happy to recommend to the general reader. It is now many years since I worked in a public reference library, but it seems to me that this is the sort of book that all public libraries should consider stocking.
