We Are The Weird Ones

Do you feel like our workplaces, schools, and communities have become toxic? Are you tired of all the judgment, bullying, violence, and divisiveness? So is Mallory Whitfield, but she has a vision for a kinder, more inclusive world. We Are The Weird Ones: Embrace Your Weird for a Kinder, More Inclusive World is an inspirational exploration of how we can use curiosity, compassion, authenticity, and action to reduce judgment and bullying, increase a sense of belonging, and become a better human in our increasingly technology-driven world.

A New York Times Notable Book of 2020 A Bloomberg Best Non-Fiction Book of 2020 A Behavioral Scientist Notable Book of 2020 A Human Behavior & Evolution Society Must-Read Popular Evolution Book of 2020 A bold, epic account of how the co-evolution of psychology and culture created the peculiar Western mind that has profoundly shaped the modern world. Perhaps you are WEIRD: raised in a society that is Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic. If so, you’re rather psychologically peculiar. Unlike much of the world today, and most people who have ever lived, WEIRD people are highly individualistic, self-obsessed, control-oriented, nonconformist, and analytical. They focus on themselves—their attributes, accomplishments, and aspirations—over their relationships and social roles. How did WEIRD populations become so psychologically distinct? What role did these psychological differences play in the industrial revolution and the global expansion of Europe during the last few centuries? In The WEIRDest People in the World, Joseph Henrich draws on cutting-edge research in anthropology, psychology, economics, and evolutionary biology to explore these questions and more. He illuminates the origins and evolution of family structures, marriage, and religion, and the profound impact these cultural transformations had on human psychology. Mapping these shifts through ancient history and late antiquity, Henrich reveals that the most fundamental institutions of kinship and marriage changed dramatically under pressure from the Roman Catholic Church. It was these changes that gave rise to the WEIRD psychology that would coevolve with impersonal markets, occupational specialization, and free competition—laying the foundation for the modern world. Provocative and engaging in both its broad scope and its surprising details, The WEIRDest People in the World explores how culture, institutions, and psychology shape one another, and explains what this means for both our most personal sense of who we are as individuals and also the large-scale social, political, and economic forces that drive human history. Includes black-and-white illustrations.

An author with autoimmune Type 1 diabetes reveals how you can achieve what you want—even while battling chronic health issues. Are you frustrated by being constantly sidelined by your health? Do you feel like every time you dig into a project your chronic disease gets in the way? Do you worry that living with a chronic illness means you will never feel well enough to reach your goals? In Beyond Powerful, Lala Jackson offers personal anecdotes of being an overachiever living with autoimmune disease—as well as inspiring, entertaining stories of go-getters who use the superpowers they’ve developed by dealing with chronic illness in order to reach massive goals. If you are someone who lives with chronic health issues and are searching for a way to keep running toward exactly what you want to bring to the world, then Beyond Powerful has the answers you need! “I’ve often said that I can’t regret living with autoimmune disease because that experience helped sculpt who I am. Beyond Powerful embraces this positive mindset and takes it to a whole new level, allowing us to appreciate the skills honed through the challenges of chronic illness and, even more importantly, giving us permission to be empowered and improved, yet never defined, by our diseases.” —Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, PhD, New York Times–bestselling author of The Paleo Approach

A tongue-in-cheek commentary on everything from hairy theological issues to hoary church traditions that will add a charming glow to the warts and blemishes of the saints.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “In our uncertain age, which can so often feel so dark and disturbing, Steven Pinker has distinguished himself as a voice of positivity.” – New York Times Can reading a book make you more rational? Can it help us understand why there is so much irrationality in the world? Steven Pinker, author of Enlightenment Now (Bill Gates’s "new favorite book of all time”) answers all the questions here Today humanity is reaching new heights of scientific understanding--and also appears to be losing its mind. How can a species that developed vaccines for Covid-19 in less than a year produce so much fake news, medical quackery, and conspiracy theorizing? Pinker rejects the cynical cliché that humans are simply irrational--cavemen out of time saddled with biases, fallacies, and illusions. After all, we discovered the laws of nature, lengthened and enriched our lives, and set out the benchmarks for rationality itself. We actually think in ways that are sensible in the low-tech contexts in which we spend most of our lives, but fail to take advantage of the powerful tools of reasoning we’ve discovered over the millennia: logic, critical thinking, probability, correlation and causation, and optimal ways to update beliefs and commit to choices individually and with others. These tools are not a standard part of our education, and have never been presented clearly and entertainingly in a single book--until now. Rationality also explores its opposite: how the rational pursuit of self-interest, sectarian solidarity, and uplifting mythology can add up to crippling irrationality in a society. Collective rationality depends on norms that are explicitly designed to promote objectivity and truth. Rationality matters. It leads to better choices in our lives and in the public sphere, and is the ultimate driver of social justice and moral progress. Brimming with Pinker’s customary insight and humor, Rationality will enlighten, inspire, and empower.

Face your demons. Save humankind. A future hangs in the balance. Many futures. Only one person has the power to prevent it all unravelling and he can't do it alone. Aided by companions old and new, Jack returns to the near shore. Foes must be faced, fears conquered. But for humanity to prevail, the choreographer of chaos must also be vanquished. Insanity and depravity overcome. The Lord of the Dance lies in wait…

“Jam packed with insights from women in the field,” this is an invaluable career guide for the aspiring or experienced female tech professional (Forbes) As the CEO of a startup, Tarah Wheeler is all too familiar with the challenges female tech professionals face on a daily basis. That’s why she’s teamed up with other high-achieving women within the field—from entrepreneurs and analysts to elite hackers and gamers—to provide a roadmap for women looking to jump-start, or further develop, their tech career. In an effort to dismantle the unconscious social bias against women in the industry, Wheeler interviews professionals like Brianna Wu (founder, Giant Spacekat), Angie Chang (founder, Women 2.0), Keren Elazari (TED speaker and cybersecurity expert), Katie Cunningham (Python educator and developer), and Miah Johnson (senior systems administrator) about the obstacles they have overcome to do what they love. Their inspiring personal stories are interspersed with tech-focused career advice. Readers will learn: · The secrets of salary negotiation · The best format for tech resumes · How to ace a tech interview · The perks of both contracting (W-9) and salaried full-time work · The secrets of mentorship · How to start your own company · And much more BONUS CONTENT: Perfect for its audience of hackers and coders, Women in Tech also contains puzzles and codes throughout—created by Mike Selinker (Lone Shark Games), Gabby Weidling (Lone Shark Games), and cryptographer Ryan “LostboY” Clarke—that are love letters to women in the industry. A distinguished anonymous contributor created the Python code for the cover of the book, which references the mother of computer science, Ada Lovelace. Run the code to see what it does!

You’ll wish you’d taken the stairs. In Book 1, Matt and three others step into an unremarkable elevator, intent only on reaching their offices, but all thoughts of work are driven from their minds the moment the door slides open. Thus begins a day that will change the lives of all four reluctant travellers. A day Matt will never forget, no matter how much he’d like to. Book 2 sees Jack journey to a strange land inhabited by people lost in space and time. A land where the Scourgers roam. What he discovers changes all: it is not merely his own and former Elevator companions’ lives that are at risk. The stakes are much higher. And, like it or not, Jack is forced to join the game. In Book 3, a future hangs in the balance. Only one person has the power to prevent it all unravelling and he can’t do it alone. But for humanity to prevail, the choreographer of chaos must be vanquished. Personal demons confronted. Insanity and depravity overcome. The Lord of the Dance lies in wait… All three books of The Elevator trilogy together for the first time.