How the Mind WorksHow the Mind Works
Score Modern
What it's about
Steven Pinker explains the human mind as a system of mental organs shaped by evolution to solve the problems our ancestors faced. He covers vision, reasoning, emotions, family, love, friendship and art, explaining why we see in 3D, why we fall in love, why we have siblings' rivalries and why we enjoy fiction.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It's a big, witty, wide-ranging book of popular science.
You'll love it if you liked
The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature
The Selfish Gene
Darwin's Dangerous IdeaGood to know
It's long, and some chapters get technical. Evolutionary psychology remains debated.
By the numbers
- Readers41 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics48 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller15 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #90 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #927 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1715 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
More by Steven Pinker
The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has DeclinedThe Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human NatureIf you like this, read next
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Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 1990sTop 25 · 273 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is How the Mind Works worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It ranks #1,715 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is How the Mind Works about?
Steven Pinker explains the human mind as a system of mental organs shaped by evolution to solve the problems our ancestors faced. He covers vision, reasoning, emotions, family, love, friendship and art, explaining why we see in 3D, why we fall in love, why we have siblings' rivalries and why we enjoy fiction.
How long does it take to read How the Mind Works?
About 17 hours (661 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after How the Mind Works?
If you liked it, try The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature by Steven Pinker, The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins or Darwin's Dangerous Idea by Daniel Dennett.