‘The Social Animal’ by the New York Times columnist, David Brooks, argues that people are driven far more by their unconscious instincts than by rational thought…the world, he concludes, is moving from an “economo-centric” one to a “socio-centric” one… Already The Social Animal has topped the bestsellers list in the United States, where Barack Obama is a fan… Even before its publication is has become the must-read text for politicians in this country who are searching for a new prism through which to examine the apparently intractable challenges of social immobility, school drop-out rates, welfare dependency and crime….David Cameron and Ed Miliband are both meeting the author when comes to London later this month. Steve Hilton, the Prime Minister’s strategy guru, has invited Brooks to hold a seminar at No.10. Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, who picked up a copy on a recent trip to New York, is convinced that the book contains vital clues for turning around failing schools and social mobility. David Willetts, the Tory philosopher-king who read it at the weekend hopes it may provide a framework for modern Conservatism. Oliver Letwin believes that Brooks articulates far better than any minister has so far done the elusive concept of the Big Society. “It’s the best description of Cameron-style Conservatism I’ve read,” says one cabinet minister… The book seems equally relevant to Labour, though, as it looks for a way to move beyond the statism of Gordon Brown and the market-based approach of Tony Blair.
…‘The Social Animal’ draws on neuroscience and anthropology as well as political theory and behavioural economics to explore deep-rooted instincts, character traits and social norms that drive human behaviour… Politicians have long used emotions to appeal to the voters during election campaigns. Brooks argues they should pay more attention in government too. “Statecraft is ultimately soulcraft,” he writes. At Westminster they should be listening hard. –Rachel Sylvester, The Times
In ‘The Social Animal’…(David Brooks) argues that mankind is “living through a revolution in consciousness”, in which insights from disciplines such as neuroscience and social psychology are unpicking the hidden wiring of our souls, and in turn undermining our “overly simplistic” self-image as rational, choosing beings…
(Told) via a cradle-to-grave portrait of an imaginary couple, Harold and Erica, whose lives are used as clothes hangers on which to peg intriguing snippets of social science research…
The scholarly tidbits are frequently fascinating…In weaving together this mixture of fact and fiction, Brooks is also especially adroit at poking fun at the foibles of America’s ove –The Financial Times

Brooks gets inside the head, explains how the brain works… it’s like frieze-framing a novel and discussing the motivation of the characters. it’s fascinating… –William Leith, The Evening Standard