[This timeless classic will never lose its lustre or topicalness. The story seems to renew itself forever and ever. Just look at the copyright date -- 1841!]

Why do otherwise intelligent individuals form seething masses of idiocy when they engage in collective action? Why do financially sensible people jump lemming-like into hare-brained speculative frenzies--only to jump broker-like out of windows when their fantasies dissolve? We may think that the Great Crash of 1929, junk bonds of the '80s, and over-valued high-tech stocks of the '90s are peculiarly 20th century aberrations, but Mackay's classic--first published in 1841--shows that the madness and confusion of crowds knows no limits, and has no temporal bounds. These are extraordinarily illuminating,and, unfortunately, entertaining tales of chicanery, greed and naivete. Essential reading for any student of human nature or the transmission of ideas.

In fact, cases such as Tulipomania in 1624--when Tulip bulbs traded at a higher price than gold--suggest the existence of what I would dub "Mackay's Law of Mass Action:" when it comes to the effect of social behavior on the intelligence of individuals, 1+1 is often less than 2, and sometimes considerably less than 0.

[Probably more misunderstood than any other hormone -- testosterone. No it doesn't turn meek men into raging linebackers. And it doesn't turn poor hitters into home run kings. The research on testosterone actually spans over 60 years. Here is a new an innovative discussion.]

Since the early 1970s, when studies of testosterone first gained wide public attention, this principal male sex hormone has taken the rap for a range of characteristics or behaviors, including low intelligence, rape, and road rage. The truth is both remarkably more complex and more interesting scientifically. From prehistory to the present, testosterone has played a significant role in the development of human society as well as in romantic, marital, and parental relationships. It affects women as well as men in such areas as language ability, cognition, and spatial orientation.

Interweaving intimate case histories with first hand scientific research, Heroes, Rogues and Lovers engagingly explains the animal within us all, revealing testosterone's function in human evolution and its role in surprising links between animal and human behaviors.

"Kohl and Francoeur lead us on a treasure hunt through history, literature, and scientific data - providing clues to what today's human mating patterns have in common with moths, marmosets, minotaurs, and even the serpent in the Garden of Eden." --Gina Ogden, Ph.D., author of Women Who Love Sex"

""A challenging and original work at the cutting edge of sexual science - innovative, quirky, speculative, and solid thinking all at once. Kohl and Francoeur's thesis, that odor plays a far larger role in human sexuality than hitherto imagined, will give both lay and professional readers much to ponder about. It's also fascinating for showing how science is actually done, not by oracular statements from on high, but by leaps of imagination about topics we thought we had completely comprehended." --Timothy Perper, Ph.D., author of "Sex Signals: the Biology of Love"

As a professor of biology and neuroscience at Stanford and a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant," Robert Sapolsky carries impressive credentials. Best of all, he's a gifted writer who possesses a delightfully devilish sense of humor. In these essays, which range widely but mostly focus on the relationships between biology and human behavior, hard and intricate science is handled with a deft touch that makes it accessible to the general reader. In one memorable piece, Sapolsky compares the fascination with tabloid TV to behavior he's observed among wild African baboons. "Rubber necks," notes the professor, "seem to be a common feature of the primate order." In the title essay of The Trouble with Testosterone, Sapolsky ruminates on the links, real or perceived, between that hormone and aggression

Do you ever feel so rushed that you can't stop to think? That you don't have enough time to do your job well--or even to read this paragraph carefully? That's because you spend your time either speeding forward or thinking about the past few minutes, without really concentrating on living in the present moment.

In Timeshifting, Stephan Rechtschaffen teaches us that time is subjective, not objective, and that we can take back control of our lives by changing the way we think about time. We can relearn how to live our lives to their fullest potential; to have the time to enjoy ourselves, our families, and our jobs. Timeshifting is not about time management; it won't teach you how to do more in a shorter period of time. It will, however, give you back all the time you need to accomplish what you want, and you'll find that you are more relaxed, less stressed-out, and better able to enjoy the best things in life.

Why don't zebras get ulcers--or heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases--when people do? In a fascinating look at the science of stress, biologist Robert Sapolsky presents an intriguing case, that people develop such diseases partly because our bodies aren't designed for the constant stresses of a modern-day life--like sitting in daily traffic jams or growing up in poverty. Rather, they seem more built for the kind of short-term stress faced by a zebra--like outrunning a lion.

With wit, graceful writing, and a sprinkling of Far Side cartoons, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers makes understanding the science of stress an adventure in discovery. "This book is a primer about stress, stress-related disease, and the mechanisms of coping with stress. How is it that our bodies can adapt to some stressful emergencies, while other ones make us sick? Why are some of us especially vulnerable to stress-related diseases, and what does that have to do with our personalities?"

Sapolsky, a Stanford University neuroscientist, explores stress's role in heart disease, diabetes, growth retardation, memory loss, and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. He cites tantalizing studies of hyenas, baboons, and rodents, as well as of people of different cultures, to vividly make his points. And Sapolsky concludes with a hopeful chapt