Prethink

PRETHINK is a book of medium-sized ideas, each of which matter-of-factly explains a slice of the order and disorder in everyone's, everyday life. The ideas are expressed thoroughly but quickly and with a good amount of humor. The book doesn't try to motivate or inspire its readers.

The collection of ideas that we know is our prethink. The best way to interpret a situation as it is happening, is with an idea we already know. After the fact thinking, using logic and whatever information might be available, is post-think.

This book is not about teaching anyone how to think. It is simply a collection of frequently-useful ideas to add to the ones you already know. The more ideas you know, the less you will need to rely on post-think.

Strong ideas which are both reliable and reusable are known as concepts. This is a book of concepts.

Touching on concepts such as less is more and the IKEA effect, Chapter 1 is a quick discussion about the reliability and versatility of concepts.

Following that, there are 25 chapters. Each one quickly explains and demonstrates a concept and concludes with a cartoon which is both relevant and amusing.

Like the happenings in our everyday lives, the concepts in Prethink are wide-ranging. They include the optimism of the untipping point, the reality that often there is no advantage in being right, and an impartial assessment of those who are hard of listening. Most of the concepts are original, the others are the best-of-the-best of other people's useful ideas.

If you want a book which is smart, funny, and not hundreds of pages, Prethink is for you.