Most of us try to live rational lives. We try to make the best decisions we can based on the information we have… And if we’re thoughtful, we even try to be aware of common logical fallacies, and overcome our personal biases too. But is self-delusion ever useful?

Dr. Stuart Vyse, psychologist and Fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, argues that it can be.

From self-fulfilling prophecies of optimism and pessimism, to the role of delusion in love and loss, Dr. Vyse explores what separates useful delusion from dangerous irrationality.

We also read about such questions as (and proposed answers to):

• Why is placebo effect stronger if we attach a ritual to it?
• Why are negative superstitions harder to shake than positive ones?
• Why do we tend to hold to the notion of free will, despite so much evidence for determinism?

The style of the book is conversational, and captivating from the start; a highly compelling read.

Bottom line: if you’ve ever felt yourself wondering if you are deluding yourself and if so, whether that’s useful or counterproductive, this is the book for you!

Click here to check out The Uses of Delusion, and optimize yours!

This is a book review, not a book summary, but first let’s quickly cover a common misconception, because the word “codependent” gets misused a lot in popular parlance:

• What codependence isn’t: “we depend on each other and must do everything together”
• What codependence is:“person 1 has a dependency on a substance (or perhaps a behavior, such as gambling); person 2 is trying to look after person 1, and so has developed a secondary relationship with the substance/behavior. Person 2 is now said to be codependent, because it becomes all-consuming for them too, even if they’re not using the substance/behavior directly”

Funny how often it happens that the reality is more complex than the perception, isn’t it?

Melody Beattie unravels all this for us. We get a compassionate and insightful look at how we can look after ourselves, while looking after another. Perhaps most importantly: how and where to draw a line of what we can and cannot do/change for them.

Because when we love someone, of course we want to fight their battles with them, if not for them. But if we want to be their rock of strength, we can’t get lost in it too, and of course that hurts.

Beatty takes us through these ideas and more, for example:

• How to examine our own feelings even when it’s scary
• How to practice self-love and regain self-worth, while still caring for them
• How to stop being reactionary, step back, and act with purpose

If the book has any weak point, it’s that it repeatedly recommends 12-step programs, when in reality that’s just one option. But for those who wish to take another approach, this book does not require involvement in a 12-step program, so it’s not a barrier to usefulness.

Click here to check out Codependent No More and take care of yourself, too

We’ve previously reviewed Dr. Greger’s “How Not To Die”, which is excellent and/but very science-dense.

This book is different, in that the science is referenced and explained throughout, but the focus is the recipes, and how to prepare delicious healthy food in accordance with the principles laid out in How Not To Die.

It also follows “Dr Greger’s Daily Dozen“, that is to say, the 12 specific things he advises we make sure to have every day, and thus helps us to include them in an easy, no-fuss fashion.

The recipes themselves are by Robin Robertson, and/but with plenty of notes by Dr Greger; they clearly collaborated closely in creating them.

The ingredients are all things one can find in any well-stocked supermarket, so unless you live in a food desert, you can make these things easily.

And yes, the foods are delicious too.

Bottom line: if you’re interested in cooking according to perhaps the most science-based dietary system out there, then this book is a top-tier choice.

Click here to check out The How Not To Die Cookbook, and live well!