I really like reading Richard Wiseman's blog at http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/. Not only does he share quirky news and illusions, he posts photos of ghosts! It's awesome, I'm telling you. I love photos of ghosts because they teach me so much about the quirks of cameras and lighting and people's perceptions. So I am already positively inclined to Richard's book, even though it doesn't have any ghost photos in it.

In 59 Seconds, Richard takes scientific studies and research and turns them into valuable information for people's day to day lives. He was inspired by a busy friend of his who wanted her information distilled into something she can make useful in less than a minute. It's a self-help book, but it isn't filled with the author's opinions, or silly theories, it's based on scientific fact. I really liked the way the author was able to take a lot of various information and make it into something easy to remember. There is also a lot of humor in this book, and it's easy to tell the author is not taking anything too seriously.

The only downside was that it was occasionally repetitive and I had already read about a lot of the scientific studies before, so there wasn't a lot of new information, but it's definitely a new way of looking at all of it.

Designed to give bite-sized chunks of pop psychology on topics from parenting to making decisions, this is a very useful book with small tips for anyone interested in doing better in interviews, learning a out other people's personalities, how to tell when someone is lying.

It's not an academic text. But from someone who has a Psychology degree, it's very enjoyable and just right for a person interested in the basics and may lead you to read related books if it catches your fancy.

I liked the layout - lots of studies interspersed with facts and summarised tips for your digestion. There are a few tests as well. personality etc that are fun to try.

A good book to try if psychology interests you but you don't want anything too dry or long.

This is a self-help book with a brain rather than gooey, gushy feel-goodery hoo-ha, so it is basically the scientific-y way of making yourself a better person. The writer backs everything with scientific studies, but all is discussed in a very down to Earth way and with all kinds of little tidbits and factoids to keep you interested. Topics range from boosting creativity to increasing motivation and all kinds of things in between. Richard Wiseman is "Britain's only professor for the Public Understanding of Psychology", which, as the bloggette from one of my fave book blogs says, "is sort of awesome because Britain has a lot of people, and to be the only 'something' that isn't either 'the only queen' or 'the only nude potter-slash-encyclopedia salesman' is an achievement all on its own." Indeed.

Not quite as good as its successor, "The As If Principle", but still worth reading.

Yeah! Liked this a lot. The first book I've read by Wiseman, and I'm planning to read more. Wiseman is a debunker of many, many mind myths that seem to form the basis for most self-proclaimed self-help books. If you want practical, research-based tips and tricks, this is it. And it's a fun read.

Up next: Paranormality. Or Quirkology. As one reader put it, "Why are all the really cool people British?" Not sure that's true, but Wiseman is one very cool dude.

This was such a fantastic book that showed you could merge the feel good aspects of pop psychology, with the tried and true (and measurable), aspects of science.

A neat book...different from many others I've read from the same "self help" genre. He takes everyday concepts, shows you a slightly different view and then how to make it work for you. Not one topic is completely life changing, but if you incorporate the many tiny changes on a consistent basis...BAM!

I'm glad I stumbled upon this book...was worth my time to read it.