Desmond Morris is an American zoologist. In this book, he deciphered the primal instincts of a human in the way he would decipher the behaviour of any other animal. The reason this book stands out amongst the others is because as humans we tend to put ourselves above other species. It attempts explore every aspect of the human psyche. However, even from the size of the book, it is apparent that the author did not focus in on points and just skimmed over each of the diverse topics. He approached the subject logically but wasn’t able to bring it home, which left each section wavering and unsatisfactory. I think the main reason, I wasn’t in awe by it is because his theories, at the time, were revolutionary. But to us now, it just seems like common sense.
Although the book has its downfalls, it has a certain raw appeal to it in its bluntness. A few psychological themes have been explored in this book such as the fact that most women tend to nurse their young while holding them against their left side. This is because the heart is located on the left side of the body and the steady rhythm of the mothers heart beat is familiar and comforting to the baby. Another thing that impressed me was the vernacular.
Overall, this is a good book for those interested in pure non fiction and centred around proven findings. However, if you are looking for a book you can read on a rainy day, a Sunday morning or curled up by the fire place, this is not the one.
Although the book has its downfalls, it has a certain raw appeal to it in its bluntness. A few psychological themes have been explored in this book such as the fact that most women tend to nurse their young while holding them against their left side. This is because the heart is located on the left side of the body and the steady rhythm of the mothers heart beat is familiar and comforting to the baby. Another thing that impressed me was the vernacular.
Overall, this is a good book for those interested in pure non fiction and centred around proven findings. However, if you are looking for a book you can read on a rainy day, a Sunday morning or curled up by the fire place, this is not the one.