There are very few books that can truly alter the way one views the world. The Biology of Belief is one of those very few. The author's comment, that the original motivation of the book was to see "why rational minds are capable of believing in myth" and "its capacity to alter our view of reality", took me on my own "journey". An understanding of the extent of brainwashing that exists in our culture was very enlightening. In fact, I can only describe my experience in the following manner: in borrowing the phase "I once was blind but now I see.." I think the book should be require reading at EVERY liberal arts university. The tough part would be supplying the professors to teach it!

Throughout this book, Mr. Giovannoli has tried to stay close to the science while giving the reader an intuitive understatnding, often through analogy and metaphor of how scientists and philosophers have reached the current perception of beliefs. Even though he avoids burdensome technical language and equations, because of the radically new concepts invloved, the reader may need to pause now and then, to mull over a section here or ponder an explanation there, in order to follow the progression of ideas fully.

Despite an acceptable "Western" perspective, "The Biology of Belief" does more than just augment the fragments of understanding we have about our belief system..It arranges biological and historical benchmarks into a sometimes thrilling intellectual jaunt that belies Mr. Giovannoli's belief that the whole is much greater than the sum of it's parts. A common evolutionary thread pierces the book and illustrates our dependence on our reptilian ancestors brain functions, and ties it to the world's current dealings with zealots and fundalmentalism. A quantum leap, presented with conviction and compassion.

Never in my years of associated reading, have I been so anxious to read a book for the third time.