Making Sense of People

Reviews / Votes

"This pioneering book does for our mental life what the periodic table did for chemistry; it breaks the mind down into elementary constituents and their interactions-thereby transforming personality research into science. In addition to being a rich treasure trove of insights into human nature, it can potentially enrich your relationships with people. Barondes has written a masterpiece."

-V.S. Ramachandran, author of Phantoms in the Brain and The Tell-Tale Mind



"We're a fantastically social species, constantly taking the measure of everyone's personality. In this wise, enjoyable book, the esteemed biological psychiatrist Sam Barondes considers ways to build up this vital skill. The book is clear, entertaining, and educational, and will not only make you a more adept social primate, but a more self-reflective one as well."

-Robert Sapolsky, Professor of Biology, Stanford University; author of A Primate's Memoir and Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers



"Making Sense of Peopleis a marvelous guided tour through the infinitely variable landscape of personality. Barondes truly illuminates how genes and environment shape human behavior, and he tells the story with an engaging armchair style that makes the book hard to put down!"

-John Oldham, President, American Psychiatric Association; author of The New Personality Self-Portrait



"Human beings judge personalities every day, but often in an unconscious muddle. Sam Barondes has taken a daunting research literature on personality and has made it remarkably accessible as well as useful. I suspect that many psychiatrists will find this book as valuable as lay readers will."

-Steven E. Hyman, Professor of Neurobiology and Provost, Harvard University; former Director, National Institute of Mental Health



"In Making Sense of People, Sam Barondes, a superb teacher and writer, creates his own schema to help us better understand each other and make the right decisions about who to share our lives with. A highly readable and enjoyable introduction to the psychology of everyday life."

-Eric Kandel, University Professor, Columbia University; Nobel Laureate; author of In Search of Memory