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The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined
Modern · Nonfiction, History, Psychology

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined

by Steven Pinker
2010 · 802 pages · Nonfiction
43 Modern ★ 4.15 on Goodreads · 30K ratings
Critics' pick
≈ 20 hours to read · about 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day

Is it worth reading?

Baillie Gifford Prize finalist (2012). 4.15★ from 30K Goodreads ratings.

By the numbers

43Must-Read Score
  • Readers71 out of 100 · counts 40%+32
  • Critics24 out of 100 · counts 32% (its stronger lane)+9
  • Bestseller12 out of 100 · counts 14%+2
  • Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 15%+0

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero.

Where it ranks

Shortlisted

Reads as

Thought-provoking, True story

How we rank

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More by Steven Pinker

The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature
The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human NatureSteven Pinker
How the Mind Works
How the Mind WorksSteven Pinker

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