Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently

Review 'A guidebook, a map, and a compass for how to succeed in this world of uncertainty' (Andrew Miller, CEO, Guardian Media Group) 'Deviate is a more accessible, fun, interactive version of Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow - involving the reader in building an active understanding of the value of relying on perception as well as reason, and doing so in enjoyable ways. Beau Lotto is a powerful storyteller who bridges peer-reviewed science and the creative arts in rare ways to offer actionable insights' (David Rowan, Editor-in-chief WIRED) 'If someone else told me that reality is something we create in our heads - I'd up my medication. This brilliantly written book shows us that this is actually the road to liberation. We have the ability to change our internal landscapes. Making our lives a masterpiece rather than a "been there done that" cliche' (Ruby Wax OBE) '[Deviate] is a neuroscience book that, while explaining what we know about the brain's functioning, explores the deeply personal issue of perception. Beau Lotto's insights constitute a real breakthrough in our understanding of how we perceive (and react to, and imagine ourselves within) reality. And his capacity to make complex scientific concepts and research results easy to understand, and to explain their relevance to our life, makes this an utterly readable book' (Bruno Giussani, European director of TED and curator of TEDGlobal) 'A groundbreaking book...as entertaining as it is provocative. As human beings, we don't live in the world directly: we perceive and conceive it through many filters. What we do perceive is refracted through our own interests, dispositions and cultures and by the context in which we experience it. Deviate analyses and illustrates these processes with the precision and vitality that is the hallmark of Beau Lotto's work as a scientist and as a presenter. Among the libraries of quick fixes and formulaic programs, the need is growing too for well-grounded insights and tested strategies that reach to the roots of human understanding. Deviate is uniquely placed to meet this need. Given Beau Lotto's unique expertise and popularity, it will have a wide and enthusiastic audience' (Ken Robinson, author of THE ELEMENT) 'A visionary scientist and thinker, Lotto helps us to see the world anew...a wonderful, ground-shaking book that has the power to change its readers lives for the better' (John Bargh, James Rowland Angell Professor of Psychology, Yale University and author of BEFORE YOU KNOW IT: THE UNCONSCIOUS REASONS WE DO WHAT WE DO) 'A genuinely new perspective on the way our brains work and the way we think. Truly enlightening' (Ron Dennis CBE, Chief Executive and Chairman of the McLaren Group) 'Beau Lotto is one of the most creative scientists I know, and his passion for introducing neuroscience to the public ranks him among those rare communicators like Carl Sagan whose ideas can change peoples' thinking. At a time when many neuroscientists are pursuing the mindless goal of mapping all the connections in the human brain, Beau is right on target in his conviction that science advances by doubting the conventional wisdom and asking simple questions in a novel way' (Professor Dale Purves, Geller Professor of Neurobiology, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences) 'Beau Lotto's Deviate is the beginning of a conversation - with yourself. Based on my years working at Pixar and with Tibetan Buddhist meditation masters, Beau is on exactly the right track for using neuroscience to understand the mechanisms that keep us stuck and the power of paying attention to the mind. And he does it with an infectious enthusiasm that cannot help but draw the reader into this engaging material' (Lawrence Levy, former CFO and board member of Pixar Animation Studios) 'In Deviate, Beau Lotto's remarkable research into human perception is crystallised into a series of astute explanations of how we experience reality...Lotto's ingenious account of the brain's percept