Randomly picked it up at a bookstore in London and couldn't put it down again. Throughout the whole week of traveling I just read half of it, but it impressed me enough.
In this book David Brooks combined the theories and research results of social science, psychology and biology to discuss the social interaction between two people, among a group of people, and to compare different societies. Other than discussing it in a cold, boring, textbook way, David made up two people and use a story-telling way to lead the audience. The whole story began from the first met of the parents of the male main character, went through the child mental development, adolescence, and now at the late twenties.
If you're thinking about "oh come on there are tons of this kind of book and they are just trying to tell us what to do", well then, first of all, it's just a description, there is no rule to follow (or I would put it down a hundred years ago). Secondly, it did describe some new patterns in the modern society. For example, whoever at twenties by now, physically or mentally wondering around friends and jobs without willing to settle down too soon, have you ever heard of Odyssey Years? Or, if any of you has noticed there are lots of twenties ganging together as a group and chatting about the similar topics everyday in the pub, as that in Marisco Tavern, you really should read through The Group and Fate in Chapter Freedom and Commitment as I did today. Then you will find it is something universal, and has a cultural and historical background.
In short, this is an amazing book. Whoever is interested in social behaviours, confused by community and life, or simply enjoys to observe the communities should read this book. Again there is no answer or rules, but with the big picture I think everyone will find his or her own unique way out.
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