The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement
by David Brooks
The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement by David Brooks holds a well received rating of 3.83 out of 5, based on 15.4K reader ratings. First published in 2011. The book spans 424 pages.
About The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement
With unequaled insight and brio, David Brooks, the New York Times columnist and bestselling author of Bobos in Paradise, has long explored and explained the way we live. Now, with the intellectual curiosity and emotional wisdom that make his columns among the most read in the nation, Brooks turns to the building blocks of human flourishing in a multilayered, profoundly illuminating work grounded in everyday life.This is the story of how success happens. It is told through the lives of one composite American couple, Harold and Erica—how they grow, push forward, are pulled back, fail, and succeed. Distilling a vast array of information into these two vividly realized characters, Brooks illustrates a fundamental new understanding of human nature. A scientific revolution has occurred—we have learned more about the human brain in the last thirty years than we had in the previous three thousand. The unconscious mind, it turns out, is most of the mind—not a dark, vestigial place but a creative and enchanted one, where most of the brain’s work gets done. This is the realm of emotions, intuitions, biases, longings, genetic predispositions, personality traits, and social norms: the realm where character is formed and where our most important life decisions are made. The natural habitat of The Social Animal. Drawing on a wealth of current research from numerous disciplines, Brooks takes Harold and Erica from infancy to school; from the “odyssey years” that have come to define young adulthood to the high walls of poverty; from the nature of attachment, love, and commitment, to the nature of effective leadership. He reveals the deeply social aspect of our very minds and exposes the bias in modern culture that overemphasizes rationalism, individualism, and IQ. Along the way, he demolishes conventional definitions of success while looking toward a culture based on trust and humility.The Social Animal is a moving and nuanced intellectual adventure, a story of achievement and a defense of progress. Impossible to put down, it is an essential book for our time, one that will have broad social impact and will change the way we see ourselves and the world.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | David Brooks |
| Published | 2011 |
| Pages | 424 |
| Kindle Price | $5.99 |
| Genres | Non-Fiction, Psychology, Science, Philosophy, Self-Help |
| Average Rating | 3.83 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 15,378 |
Reader Ratings & Analysis
Rating Overview
How It Compares
Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement?
The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement is categorized as Non-Fiction, Psychology, Science, Philosophy. Its primary genre classification is Philosophy.
Is The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement worth reading?
Based on 15.4K reader ratings, The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement has an average score of 3.83 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received."
How many pages is The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement?
The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement has 424 pages.
Who wrote The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement?
The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement was written by David Brooks. It was first published in 2011.
What is the ISBN for The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement?
The ISBN-13 for The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement is 9781400067600.0.
How much does The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement cost on Kindle?
The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement is available on Kindle for $5.99. Pricing may vary by region and promotional offers.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
