BOOK REVIEW: Stop Being Reasonable by Eleanor Gordon-Smith

In six stories, she unlocks the sometimes complex mental machinations that result in individuals reappraising what had previously been deeply held beliefs. This is not a manual for marketers to pick up slick new strategies, rather a series of insights into the human condition and a reminder of the sunk cost in our working assumptions and how much it can take to change them – if indeed that is even possible.

The stories cover varied territory, from the sexual politics of male catcalling to the adherence to a cult, the impact of a TV reality show, the threat to a long-term relationship of previously unknown behaviour, false memory syndrome and withheld adoption notification. The author’s journalistic skills are brought to bear in unearthing the tricky admissions that provide a depth of understanding to the trauma of a strongly held view being overturned.

Stop being Reasonable by Eleanor Gordon-Smith is published by Scribe and sells for £21.30 hardback, £10.47 paperback and £8.98 e-book.

About the Author

Antony David

A chemistry graduate, Antony spent most of his career using and then making equipment for the music and broadcast industries. He was managing director of Oxford-based electronics and software company, Solid State Logic.