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RICHARD WISEMAN is the UK’s only professor for the public understanding of psychology. Judging by this book, his role is to explain why people behave the way they do and thus, perhaps, give them more control over their lives.

This is a self-help book, but with a difference: almost everything in it is underpinned by peer-reviewed and often fascinating research. It could actually help you be a little happier, perform better at interviews, procrastinate less, improve your relationships, reduce your stress levels and be a better parent. The only problem with serving psychological insights in bite-size portions is that it necessitates the over-simplification of complex…

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