The Social Animal – A Story of How Success Happens

July 5, 2011

I’ve been reading The Social Animal.

 All on my own.

I’m not sure if that’s cheating or just downright rude, but I’ve found it a remarkable experience. The book despite being a New York Times Bestseller faced an uphill battle in the UK, when Prime Minister David Cameron advised all members of his Cabinet to read it. This immediately ensured that at least half the population would not.

It’s clear from recent Government policies that at least half the Cabinet did not either– or if they did they just didn’t get it. The Social Animal is an adventure into the unconscious mind, how it influences our behaviour and the impact it can have upon success – happiness, relationships, career.

It’s a story told through the lives of two fictitious characters that pauses every so often to consider findings from neuroscience, sociology and psychology. It sounds a bit heavy but it isn’t at all. It’s one of those rare books with the ability to make you laugh out loud one moment and fight back the tears the next, as your life is projected before you in ways you hadn’t seen it before.

It’s powerful stuff.

Are you paying attention Michael Gove?