Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces that Make Us Who We Are by Bill Sullivan: Book Beginnings on Fridays, First Line Friday, The Friday 56, and Book Blogger Hop

  

Today's Featured Book: 

Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces that Make Us Who We Are

by Bill Sullivan

Genre: Nonfiction

Published: August 6, 2019

Page Count: 336 pages

Summary: 

Why are you attracted to a certain "type?" Why are you a morning person? Why do you vote the way you do? From a witty new voice in popular science comes a clever, life-changing look at what makes you you.

"I can't believe I just said that." "What possessed me to do that?" "What's wrong with me?" We're constantly seeking answers to these fundamental human questions, and now, science has the answers. The foods we enjoy, the people we love, the emotions we feel, and the beliefs we hold can all be traced back to our DNA, germs, and environment. This witty, colloquial book is popular science at its best, describing in everyday language how genetics, epigenetics, microbiology, and psychology work together to influence our personality and actions. Mixing cutting-edge research and relatable humor, Pleased to Meet Me is filled with fascinating insights that shine a light on who we really are--and how we might become our best selves.

 

BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY is hosted by Rose City Reader. What book are you happy about reading this week? Please share the opening sentence (or so) on BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY! Add the link to your blog or social media post and visit other blogs to see what others are reading.

Happy Friday and welcome to the FIRST LINE FRIDAY, hosted by Reading is My Superpower! It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line.

People do the strangest things, don't they?

THE FRIDAY 56 is hosted by Anne of Head Full of Books. To play, open a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% on your e-reader). Find a sentence or two and post them, along with the book title and author. Then link up on Head Full of Books and visit others in the linky. 

Why There Are Grumpy Old Men

“Get off my lawn!” many an old man has yelled, most famously the rifle-toting Walt Kowalski played by Clint Eastwood in the 2008 film Gran Torino. What’s with grumpy old men, anyway? Don’t they have bigger fish to fry? Why are they always so uptight, ranting and raving about how awful the world has become?

Science is on the case. Researchers have named the phenomenon irritable male syndrome; on average, it is most likely to begin at age 70. This figure corresponds with the age when testosterone levels plummet. Recall that low testosterone is associated with irritability, difficulty concentrating, and negative mood, providing a biochemical explanation for the proverbial grumpy old man...

My husband and I listened to this audiobook all the way up to East Texas (4 1/2 hours) and all the way home from East Texas (4 1/2 hours). We are delighted with it, and we plan to listen to the remaining two hours in the next couple of days. Who knew science could be so much fun?

The purpose of THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, and befriend other bloggers. THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.    

February 14th - 20th - Have you ever read a Nicholas Sparks romance novel? 

I refuse to answer on the grounds that it may incriminate me. 

(Whole truth and nothing but the truth: Yes. But I wish I hadn't.)