A review by shelleyanderson4127
On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and Fiction by Brian Boyd
3.0
Ever wondered why we humans find reading fiction so engrossing? Wonder no more. Brian Boyd, whose bio identifies him as a university professor and "the world's foremost authority on the works of Nabokov", argues that storytelling has given homo sapiens an evolutionary advantage. Stories help exercise cognition and creativity, and helps to bond societies together. Stories encourage imagination and the creation of new solutions. Looking at the world through other eyes supports social skills, hence social cohesion.
While this book demands commitment (it's 500 pages, and in often academic language), it also provides much food for thought. His arguments are cogent and insightful. The two case studies he investigates are a delightful juxtaposition: Homer's The Odyssey and Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears a Who! If you love both science (especially evolutionary biology) and literature, this is a book for you.
While this book demands commitment (it's 500 pages, and in often academic language), it also provides much food for thought. His arguments are cogent and insightful. The two case studies he investigates are a delightful juxtaposition: Homer's The Odyssey and Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears a Who! If you love both science (especially evolutionary biology) and literature, this is a book for you.