Terry Burnham

Maybe only 3.5 stars because it was so quick. Lots of helpful ideas to help us understand how our biology makes it so hard to master our New Year's resolutions. I've scanned the notes online (http://meangenes.org/notes/) and they give me confidence that the scientist authors are a more credible resource than most 'self-help' authors, including the journalists that write the pop psychology books I've been reading so much lately. And yet it is indeed a fun read, as the authors admit to their own struggles adapting their 'caveman' instincts to the modern world.

I definitely do recommend this to anyone who wants intelligent, authentic help with any of the issues presented, for example quitting smoking, losing weight, saving money, staying faithful to one's spouse, etc.… (meer)

Although this book’s subject is based on evolutionary biology and is written by a couple of Ph. D.s, it’s anything but dry and stuffy. This slim book is written with a chatty flair and is a quick and fascinating read. “Mean Genes reveals that our struggles for self-improvement are, in fact, battles against our own genes—genes that helped our distant ancestors flourish, but are selfish and out of place in the modern world.” Using countless quirky examples, the authors illustrate their point that we are genetically programmed to do things that are bad for us... over-eating, infidelity, gambling, etc. ... they are all influenced by our genes. They also offer some tips on how to successfully outsmart our own programming. This book was a lot of fun and filled with interesting trivia.… (meer)