Editorial Reviews:
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Emotional Intelligence was an international phenomenon, appearing on the New York Times bestseller list for over a year and selling more than five million copies worldwide. Now, once again, Daniel Goleman has written a groundbreaking synthesis of the latest findings in biology and brain science, revealing that we are “wired to connect” and the surprisingly deep impact of our relationships on every aspect of our lives.
Far more than we are consciously aware, our daily encounters with parents, spouses, bosses, and even strangers shape our brains and affect cells throughout our bodies—down to the level of our genes—for good or ill. In Social Intelligence, Daniel Goleman explores an emerging new science with startling implications for our interpersonal world. Its most fundamental discovery: we are designed for sociability, constantly engaged in a “neural ballet” that connects us brain to brain with those around us.
Our reactions to others, and theirs to us, have a far-reaching biological impact, sending out cascades of hormones that regulate everything from our hearts to our immune systems, making good relationships act like vitamins—and bad relationships like poisons. We can “catch” other people’s emotions the way we catch a cold, and the consequences of isolation or relentless social stress can be life-shortening. Goleman explains the surprising accuracy of first impressions, the basis of charisma and emotional power, the complexity of sexual attraction, and how we detect lies. He describes the “dark side” of social intelligence, from narcissism to Machiavellianism and psychopathy. He also reveals our astonishing capacity for “mindsight,” as well as the tragedy of those, like autistic children, whose mindsight is impaired.
Is there a way to raise our children to be happy? What is the basis of a nourishing marriage? How can business leaders and teachers inspire the best in those they lead and teach? How can groups divided by prejudice and hatred come to live together in peace?
The answers to these questions may not be as elusive as we once thought. And Goleman delivers his most heartening news with powerful conviction: we humans have a built-in bias toward empathy, cooperation, and altruism–provided we develop the social intelligence to nurture these capacities in ourselves and others.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:  
Summary: Very interesting
Comment: I thought this was interesting material on how social interactions actually change the brain. Everything from developing as a child through your adult relationships. Gets a bit into the 'science' of it at times, but still quite interesting as an audio book for a long trip.
Customer Rating:
Summary: More of a Physiology Textbook
Comment: I was hoping for insight on how I can be better in business from a Social perspective. Instead this book goes into how the brain works and kid's minds develop over the first 25 years of life. This is a great book for a psychologist interested in an anatomy lesson but not for the self improvement crowd.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Easy On Your Brain
Comment: Okay, I was prepared to get drowsy as I opened this book. The subject of social intelligence intrigued me, but books like this can be so chock-full of scientific jargon that your eyes cross before you've finished the first half dozen pages. But what Goleman offers is a highly readable text, revealing much about the brain's role in our social interactions - from the most simple to the more complex. He cites numerous experimental studies that help the reader draw clear conclusions amid the complicated neurological reactions set off in our brains as we interact socially. The book increased my awareness of how I operate in similar situations.
If you're interested in increasing your awareness and looking at how you operate, you may also be interested in Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Can Instantaneously Transform Your Life, by Ariel and Shya Kane. The Kanes' no-nonsense approach to self-discovery debunks the myth that setting copious goals, making resolutions and being hard on yourself is the way to a better life. Instead, the book shows how transforming your life can be as simple as seeing how you do what you do. The authors also have a great web site with a lot of helpful content, including podcasts and downloads of their weekly radio show called "Being Here."
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not as earth shattering as emotional intelligence
Comment: Social Intelligence is an interesting and readable book that showcases Goleman's (a former journalist) fluid and thought-provoking writing style. The theory the book is based on is essentially a microcosm of emotional intelligence, which makes the overall book not as earth shattering as his landarm tome in 1995. It's still a fun journey and an enjoyable read if you like these types of books.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships.
Comment: While these sort of books may not be to everyones taste, I found them to be 'intoxicating'. This book has certainly broadened my outlook on life. I would commend this book to anyone who wants have a better understanding of how their life and everybody elses lives fit together.
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