An Outsider's Guide to Humans: What Science Taught Me About What We Do and Who We Are

by Camilla Pang PhD Narrated by Camilla Pang PhD

Overview

WINNER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE

An instruction manual for life, love, and relationships by a brilliant young scientist whose Asperger's syndrome allows her--and us--to see ourselves in a different way...and to be better at being human

Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of eight, Camilla Pang struggled to understand the world around her. Desperate for a solution, she asked her mother if there was an instruction manual for humans that she could consult. With no blueprint to life, Pang began to create her own, using the language she understands best: science.

That lifelong project eventually resulted in An Outsider's Guide to Humans, an original and incisive exploration of human nature and the strangeness of social norms, written from the outside looking in--which is helpful to even the most neurotypical thinker. Camilla Pang uses a set of scientific principles to examine life's everyday interactions:
- How machine learning can help us sift through data and make more rational decisions
- How proteins form strong bonds, and what they teach us about embracing individual differences to form diverse groups
- Why understanding thermodynamics is the key to seeking balance over seeking perfection
- How prisms refracting light can keep us from getting overwhelmed by our fears and anxieties, breaking them into manageable and separate "wavelengths"

Pang's unique perspective of the world tells us so much about ourselves--who we are and why we do the things we do--and is a fascinating guide to living a happier and more connected life.

Editorial Reviews

FEBRUARY 2021 - AudioFile

Being on the autism spectrum and having attention deficit disorder, British scientist Camilla Pang felt different growing up. In this affecting and informative memoir/guide, the biologist describes the effort it took to learn, from scratch, the human operating skills that other people were born with. Pang sounds warm and authentic narrating her accessible (for a scientist) writing. Humanitarian fervor pulses through her performance, transforming the often technical information into a relatable storyline. She uses her knowledge of such things as protein life cycles, machine learning, and light waves to explain her novel perspectives on how most people function. The broader point she makes is memorable: Good social functioning involves skills—but also the self-acceptance needed to handle life’s challenges. T.W. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2021 - AudioFile

Being on the autism spectrum and having attention deficit disorder, British scientist Camilla Pang felt different growing up. In this affecting and informative memoir/guide, the biologist describes the effort it took to learn, from scratch, the human operating skills that other people were born with. Pang sounds warm and authentic narrating her accessible (for a scientist) writing. Humanitarian fervor pulses through her performance, transforming the often technical information into a relatable storyline. She uses her knowledge of such things as protein life cycles, machine learning, and light waves to explain her novel perspectives on how most people function. The broader point she makes is memorable: Good social functioning involves skills—but also the self-acceptance needed to handle life’s challenges. T.W. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177971391
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	12/01/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged

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