Rating: 
Summary: An interesting look at how our brains make mistakes.
Review: This is an intelligent look at how the design of our brains and the very nature of reality set us up to misperceive and misinterpret some of our experiences, and then be fooled by our own perception into thinking we know something we don't know. The good news about this understanding is that you can compensate. Once you understand HOW these mistakes can be made, you can hold back from drawing a conclusion that may be faulty. The end result is better thinking. Better decisions. Less time wasted on what doesn't work, more time spent effectively.I'm the author of the book, Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I'm an expert on what actually helps and what is a waste of your time, and this book is definitely in the "helpful" category. I have applied many of Gilovich's insights in my life, and I'm better for it.
Rating: 
Summary: Invaluable, practical analysis of WHY we think the way we do
Review: This is not the easiest-to-read book on the subject. The beginning of the book gets a little bogged down in some jargon. The book's greatest asset is its application of the thought processes to specific examples of faulty thinking, e.g., on "alternative medicine" and ESP. One weakness of the book is that it seems to totally discount anecdotal evidence. True, someone saying they were cured because of some "alternative" therapy is almost always bogus, as the body has a wonderful tendency to heal itself despite the New Age investment. But (1) not all of us have the time or expertise to be absolutely scholarly in our analysis and (2) there can be some value in anecdotal evidence; it is, after all, experience. (Incidentally, the author covers too why we are often NOT challenged by those whom we'd assume would challenge our faulty thinking. And that's another of the book's assets, and something useful to think about!) Nonetheless, I do recommend the book to anyone wondering, as I often do, why people get caught into ridiculous movements and the like. The book offers some valuable explanations why.
Rating:
Summary: An all time favorite!
Review: This is one of my favorite books exposing the many subtle sources of sloppy thinking, some funny, some a disaster. It is an enjoyable and thoughful read with useful examples and summaries of research in an enjoyable form.
Before bias, before politics, before the generally horrid media, is the bed rock foundation for all of fallacious and sloppy thinking!
Read and think. You can evne find some fun tricks to play on friends and educate students - or know-it-alls.
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