Jane on the Brain: Exploring the Science of Social

Jane on the Brain: Exploring the Science of Social Intelligence with Jane Austen

An Austen scholar and therapist reveals Jane Austen's intuitive ability to imbue her characters with hallmarks of social intelligenceâ€•and how these beloved works of literature can further illuminate the mind-brain connection.
Why is Jane Austen so phenomenally popular? Why do we read Pride and Prejudice again and again? Why do we delight in Emmaâ€™s mischievous schemes? Why do we care that Anne Elliot of Persuasion suffers?

We care because it is our biological destiny to be interested in people and their storiesâ€•the human brain is a social brain. And Austenâ€™s characters are so believable, that for many of us, they are not just imaginary beings, but friends whom we know and love. And thanks to Austen's ability to capture the breadth and depth of human psychology so thoroughly, we feel that she empathizes with us, her readers.

Humans have a profound need for empathy, to know that we are not alone with our joys and sorrows. And then there is attachment, denial, narcissism, and of course, love, to name a few. We see ourselves and others reflected in Austenâ€™s work.

Social intelligence is one of the most highly developed human traits when compared with other animals How did is evolve? Why is it so valuable? Wendy Jones explores the many facets of social intelligence and juxtaposes them with the Austen cannon.

Brilliantly original and insightful, this fusion of psychology, neuroscience, and literature provides a heightened understanding of one of our most beloved cultural institutionsâ€•and our own minds.

Country	USA
Author	Wendy Jones
Binding	Hardcover
EAN	9781681775548
Edition	1
ISBN	1681775549
Label	Pegasus Books
Manufacturer	Pegasus Books
MPN	Illustrated
NumberOfItems	1
NumberOfPages	336
PartNumber	Illustrated
PublicationDate	2017-12-05
Publisher	Pegasus Books
ReleaseDate	2017-12-05
Studio	Pegasus Books

Jane on the Brain: Exploring the Science of Social Intelligence with Jane Austen

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