<p>'Find one polymath. Take a profound knowledge of world literature. Add a deep knowledge of neuroscience. Stir in an <strong>enchanting prose style</strong>. This is Angus Fletcher’s <em>Wonderworks</em>. <strong>A</strong> <strong>marvellous treat</strong>' - Martin Seligman, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>Authentic Happiness</em></p> <p>'Fletcher <strong>endorses storytelling</strong> as a foundational technology but he goes beyond that to <strong>illustrate its therapeutic value and centrality</strong> to cultural invention' - Antonio Damasio, Professor of Neuroscience and Director of the Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California</p> <p>'<em>Wonderworks</em> is an <strong>extraordinary</strong> book, which makes a <strong>passionate, compelling and engaging</strong> case for the value of literature' - Raphael Lyne, Professor of Renaissance Literature, University of Cambridge</p> <p>'An <strong>intelligent, engaged</strong> and <strong>erudite</strong> attempt to neurologically tackle not just some abstract and simplified “story”, but some of the <strong>world’s greatest narratives</strong>, from the <em>Iliad</em> to <em>Dream of the Red Chamber</em>, from Disney’s <em>Up</em> to the novels of Elena Ferrante. It <strong> speaks to the inner reader in us all</strong>, as well as to the inner neurologist' - Simon Ings, <em>New Scientist</em></p> <p>'<strong>Perky</strong> and often <strong>amusing</strong>... Fletcher is a kind of Jeeves, <strong>leading us around the castle of literature</strong> in a respectful but knowing manner ... Fletcher makes a <strong>convincing argument</strong> that using even the saddest books to <strong>experience new feelings</strong> and to learn from them is the <strong>way forward for both writers and readers</strong>' - Jane Smiley, <em>Guardian</em></p> <p>'Explains how <strong>different kinds of stories</strong> can variously <strong>alleviate the whole gamut of emotions</strong>’ Tom Bawden, <em>iPaper</em></p> <p>'<strong>Breathtaking</strong>... <strong>delightful</strong> and <strong>eminently readable</strong>... a <strong>spectacular</strong> work' - Dr. Keith Mankin, <em>Los Angeles Review of Books</em></p> <p>'Entirely <strong>convincing</strong> ... <strong>immensely important</strong> ... a <strong>fantastic tour through the world’s literature</strong>, an explanation of how it works as a technology, and a scientific discussion that opens the lid on our complex brains, tying it all to <strong> our most ancient and cherished activity: reading stories </strong> ... Fletcher speaks outside the academy, as the anti-literary critic, whose <strong>purpose is to rescue literature from the spate of theories intended to bring it to heel</strong> ... <em>Wonderworks</em> is itself <strong>an innovation</strong>, and, admirably, perhaps <strong>the best kind of medicine for our modern troubled times</strong>' - Erik Larson, bestselling author of <em>The Myth of Artificial Intelligence</em> in <em>Los Angeles Review of Books</em></p>