The Better Angels of Our Nature

Drawing on a wealth of data and multidisciplinary research, Pinker (psychology, Harvard; The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature) reaches the highly counterintuitive conclusion that we may be living in the most peaceful era in history. He defines violence broadly to include acts ranging from war, crime, and torture to bullying, battering, and abortion. The book is organized around six historical periods from prehistory to the post-World War II "Rights Revolution." The author explores the neurobiology of violence, including urges that fuel aggression and countervailing faculties like reason and self-control. Historical forces that have fostered peace and cooperation, like commerce and the rise of the modern state, are also analyzed. While supportive statistics for earlier times and non-Western nations are predictably less compelling than comparable current data for Western societies, and sweeping generalizations (e.g., decline of child abuse) are sometimes based on limited data, the book's thesis is well argued. VERDICT Scholarly yet readable, this book is recommended for readers interested in history, human evolution, and psychology. A stimulating volume that tackles a big issue with an unusual combination of intellectual rigor and optimism. [See Prepub Alert, 4/18/11.]—Antoinette Brinkman, M.L.S., Evansville, IN