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The Unpersuadables: Adventures wiith the Enemies of Science Hardcover – March 6, 2014

by Will Storr (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 219 ratings
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As New Condition. No flaws or wear to either dust jacket or book. All our books are individually inspected, rated and described. Never EX-LIB unless specifically listed as such.
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  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Overlook Books
  4. Publication date
    March 6, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 1 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1468308181
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1468308181
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The subtle brilliance of The Unpersuadables is Mr. Storr's style of letting his subjects hang themselves with their own words." —Michael Shermer, The Wall Street Journal

"A tour de force . . . A searching, extraordinarily thoughtful exploration of what it means to believe anything . . . There are entire novels that do less than Storr achieves here in a mere 30 pages . . . Running through all these stories is Storr’s growing uncertainty about certainty." —Laura Miller, Salon
 
"Drawing upon his well-documented store of inquisitiveness about superstition, eccentricity, and idiosyncratic beliefs, Storr has delivered an accessible look at the brain’s capacity for adopting unconventional ideas . . . Storr’s distillation of current thinking on the subject is a nice primer for the non-expert reader." —The Daily Beast

"Throws new and salutary light on all our conceits and beliefs. Very valuable, and a great read to boot, this is investigative journalism of the highest order." —Independent, Book of the Week
 
"Storr can open chapters like a stage conjurer, and his prose has an easy, laconic style embracing Jon Ronson’s taste for the fabulously weird and Louis Theroux’s ability to put his subjects at ease. He is a funny and companionable guide . . . [who] confounds expectations." —Guardian

About the Author

Will Storr is an award-winning journalist and novelist whose work has appeared in the Guardian, Sunday Times, The New Yorker, and the New York Times. His books include Selfie: How the West Became Self-Obsessed and The Unpersuadables: Adventures with the Enemies of Science (Overlook/Abrams Press). His writing courses are among the most in-demand offerings of the Guardian Masterclasses and the Faber Academy. He lives in Kent, England.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Overlook Books; 1st edition (March 6, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1468308181
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1468308181
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 219 ratings

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Will Storr

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
219 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and interesting. They describe it as a thought-provoking read that explores beliefs systems in depth. The book provides an insightful approach to understanding illogic among various groups.

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ReadabilityThought provoking
12 customers mention "Readability"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and insightful. They describe it as a must-read for skeptics or believers who want to question their beliefs. The book reads like a novel and provides valuable insights into belief systems.

"...and the destination he takes readers to is so interesting and valuable that I can't justify removing a star for these wrinkles." Read more

"This book is really good, but I agree with one of the characters in the book that he is not a die hard skeptic...." Read more

"It is an okay book. Filled with different points of view with everyone claiming to have the truth. Did not find this book very interesting." Read more

"One of the best books out there on why people believe weird things...." Read more

8 customers mention "Thought provoking"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and insightful. They appreciate its experiential and subjective approach to understanding belief systems. The book encourages an open mind and examines why we hold opinions. It features a dense collection of impressive interviews, including with Holocaust survivors.

"...The book features a dense collection of impressive interviews, including with notorious Holocaust denier David Irving and prominent climate denier..." Read more

"...I recommend it for some good and new information about the crazies of the world. Garry" Read more

"...Along the way are some entertaining and illuminating encounters with a wide range of true believers, from Holocaust deniers to believers in Satanic..." Read more

"...First, it is very experiential and subjective...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Zack
    5.0 out of 5 stars A vivid exploration of falsehoods & belief
    Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    4.5/5 — The title of this book, which to me suggested a straightforward takedown of pseudoscience peddlers, hides the much more nuanced story inside — one full of sympathy and intrigue into people who hold incorrect beliefs and why (while still demonstrating where they're wrong), and that contains the clearest telling of the psychology behind our biases I've read. The book features a dense collection of impressive interviews, including with notorious Holocaust denier David Irving and prominent climate denier Lord Monckton III — not to mention an eye-opening conversation with legendary debunker James Randi that humbles his sterling reputation that is held among skeptics. It's totally worth the read for those interested in these topics.

    There were a few small hiccups early in the book that made me skeptical of the author's handling of these subjects: He uncritically cited the Stanford Prison Experiment despite the widespread criticism that severely undermines its results, and his personal story sometimes weaved into the subject uncomfortably, among a few other details. But the second half of the book is spotless in my opinion, and the destination he takes readers to is so interesting and valuable that I can't justify removing a star for these wrinkles.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Garry
    4.0 out of 5 stars Godd with wom reservations.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2014
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    This book is really good, but I agree with one of the characters in the book that he is not a die hard skeptic. There is also some misinformation in the part on UFO abductions. But, all in all, it's a good read about some really 'nutty' people. I recommend it for some good and new information about the crazies of the world.

    Garry
    One person found this helpful
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  • Al
    3.0 out of 5 stars It was okay
    Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2023
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    It is an okay book. Filled with different points of view with everyone claiming to have the truth. Did not find this book very interesting.
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  • Donna Kossy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, In-Depth Investigation Into Belief Systems
    Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2022
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    One of the best books out there on why people believe weird things. Goes into more depth about the formation and stubborn existence of belief systems than any other of the many books I've read on the subject. Also, the author is honest enough to constantly question his own belief systems. Along the way are some entertaining and illuminating encounters with a wide range of true believers, from Holocaust deniers to believers in Satanic abuse. I've been studying this area for decades and I still learned a lot by reading it. Five stars, easily.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Mike Blyth
    5.0 out of 5 stars More than the title suggests
    Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2022
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    This book is far deeper than the title and blurb suggest. It is quite different from other books I've read about anti-science and fringe beliefs in a couple of ways. First, it is very experiential and subjective. The author spent time with various groups and representatives of beliefs, interviewing them, going undercover in some cases, and even going through grueling training in meditation. A good bit of the writing … See more
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Richard O. Jacobs
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent search into denial in areas I would never have considered.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2014
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    Will Storr finds his way into the minds and hearts of denial in a broad spectrum of human activity. I was amazed at the scope of this work. It is an eye opener.
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  • philly home
    5.0 out of 5 stars life changing
    Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2023
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    i read Mr Storr's books in reverse order in the past year. i wish i had read this one first.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Herbert Gintis
    3.0 out of 5 stars Some insightful stuff about people with weird ideas
    Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2018
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    Storr is an accomplished writer with a deep ability to make contact with people with unusual world views and present their views with insight and compassion. The title is misleading. This is mostly not about groups that deny scientific evidence, but rather who have strong beliefs that have no plausible empirical support.

    When dealing with climate change denial, Storr is very good. When dealing with ESP, he is less than insightful. He catalogs at great length the dispute between ESP supporters and their critics, but misses the big picture. Belief in Mind as a force not yet validated in physics is not unscientific at all, and the skeptics are not all brute materialists who deny the existence of forces outside the four known to physics. The problem with ESP research, it appears to me, is that its supporters repeatedly find it and neutral practitioners find almost none of it (but perhaps a little).

    Storr's argument that we are all a little crazy and believe in things that contradict science or are simply unfounded. He provides no evidence for this view and I think it is wrong.
    26 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Ashnu Thapa
    5.0 out of 5 stars Guter Preis
    Reviewed in Germany on December 11, 2020
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    👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
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  • marcone
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interessantissimo
    Reviewed in Italy on September 21, 2019
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    Libro molto interessante, aiuta a capire un po' di più la natura umana e il perché altre persone possano avere visioni e idee che reputiamo irrazionali e avversiamo, nonché a rendersi conto anche dei processi che portano noi stessi a sostenere determinate tesi al posto di altre
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  • Roya
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best book I have read in years
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 28, 2017
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    This is the best book I have read in years.. Will Storr is a brilliant author and this book is so compellin g- you won't want to put it down. He presents the themes of the book nicely and ties it all together with such ease. Very complex ideas but written in a way that is not tedious to read. This book has provided me with lots of dinner table discussion - it is so thought provoking. Would recommend others read all of Will's books as he is a stunning writer
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  • Constance R. Brochet
    5.0 out of 5 stars Not for the faint of mind. A thoroughly-engrossing investigation ...
    Reviewed in Canada on April 29, 2015
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    Not for the faint of mind. A thoroughly-engrossing investigation into the nature of belief--well-researched, lucid, and thought-provoking. Eminently reliable, Storr plays the unreliable narrator, continually pointing out his emotional responses and assumptions, his unfounded beliefs and prejudices. It's a reminder of the unreliability of perception, an invitation to continually examine our own reactions, to delve deeply and with an open mind.

    Constance R. Brochet
    One person found this helpful
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  • Len M. Pope
    5.0 out of 5 stars Worth full price.
    Reviewed in Canada on November 17, 2014
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    A must-read for anyone serious about understanding just what the hell's going on out there....
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