Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Sebastian Ritscher
Categories
Psychology

THE ART OF RISK

Kayt Sukel

The New Science of Courage, Caution, and Chance

In the tradition of Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Pink, and Charles Duhigg, THE ART OF RISK blends riveting case studies and hard-hitting science to explore risk-taking and how it impacts decision-making in work, play, love, and life, aiding readers in understanding their own behavior and furthering personal success.

Are risk takers born or made? Why are some more willing to go out on a limb (so to speak) than others? How do we weight the value of opportunities large or small that may have the potential to change the course of our lives? These are just a few of the questions that author Kayt Sukel tackles in THE ART OF RISK, applying the latest research in neuroscience and psychology to compelling real-world situations. Building on a portfolio of work that has appeared in such publications as Scientific American, Atlantic Monthly, The Washington Post, and more, Sukel offers an in-depth look at risk-taking and its role in the many facets of life that will resonate with readers on a personal level. Smart, progressive, and truly enlightening, Sukel's study of the interplay of human behavior and biology is made accessible by her deft hand and playful approach to science. From the adrenaline junkie to the precautious parent, RISK'S unique insights hold value for everyone interesting in maximizing personal and professional success. Kayt Sukel earned a BS in cognitive psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and a MS in engineering psychology from the Georgia Institute of Technology. A passionate traveler and science writer, her work has appeared in the Atlantic Monthly, the New Scientist, USA Today, the Washington Post, ISLANDS, Parenting, the Bark, American Baby, and the AARP Bulletin. She is a partner at the award-winning family travel website Travel Savvy Mom (www.travelsavvymom.com), and is also a frequent contributor to the Dana Foundation's many science publications (www.dana.org). Much of her work can be found on her website, kaytsukel.typepad.com, including stories about out-of-body experiences, computer models of schizophrenia, and exotic travel with young children. She lives outside Houston and frequently overshares on Twitter as @kaytsukel.

Available products
Book Published 2016-02-02 by National Geographic

Comments

A rallying call to all of us to take a chance to become better risk-takers. And it is inspiring.

The author is a blithe and personable guide to risk-taking, sharing her own experiences and getting research scientists to open up about their findings.

Interesting for both the science and the personal stories, this thoughtful book will prompt a range of readers to reexamine their lives and motives.

In The Art of Risk, Kayt Sukel deftly probes the neverending push-pull struggle within our brains between wanting to be safe, wanting not to be hungry, wanting sex, wanting money—and the willingness to take a chance that will lead to even more of the same. We weigh risk based on what is in our heads, in our genes, and in our hearts. This smart, impeccably researched book travels easily between the realms of advanced neuroscience and everyday experience. Intelligent, informed, and deeply curious, The Art of Risk is a revelation.

"Cultural scientist Kayt Sukel breaks down why aggressive entrepreneurs are as thoughtful, if not more thoughtful, than more conservative business people, and how smart risktaking is both importantand necessary to succeed in career and in life." - Inc.com, naming The Art of Risk "a book that will upgrade your life in 2016."

A fascinating and beautifully written tour de force on the curious ways our brains weigh decisions, and how we can hack our biology to risk smarter. Kayt Sukel writes with warmth and candor, like a girlfriend over drinks, giving us insight into the research and minds of thrill seekers, adventurers, and high-risk professionals to answer once and for all: When is it worth the risk?

Why take a chance? It turns out there are neurological and psychological reasons, as science writer Kayt Sukel sets forth in The Art of Risk.The approachable study includes interviews with 'professional risk-takers' including a brain surgeon, a gambler and a firefighter.

Kayt Sukel blends self-help and neuroscience to explain why we do what we do when faced with risk.

Kayt Sukel combines true stories from colorful risk-takers with scientific explanations to produce a terrific book that is engaging, full of up-to-date science, and always interesting. Whether you believe you put yourself in danger way too much, or worry that you play everything too safe, The Art of Risk will help you understand what's going on inside you. You'll learn a lot, and have a great time doing it.

Great accomplishments are impossible without substantial risk-taking, yet risk-taking is equally important for the everyday decisions, when we never know the threats and rewards that await. You should read this book because it is a road map for understanding boldness. And, just maybe, you will become committed to a bolder lifestyle.

RISK begins with an admission: Kayt Sukel's lost her mojo -- and like any great journalist, to find it again, she researches her way to the root of the issue. This entails interviewing adrenaline junkies, uncovering the psychology, and delving into the complicated neuroscience. (She's the only writer I know who can make terms like mesocortical limbic pathway and DRD4 variants downright titillating). An engrossing look at a fascinating issue by one of the most fearless science writers in the business.

[Sukel] delves into the economics and neuroscience of risk and interviews people who make dicey decisions everyday to learn what holds people back or encourages them to take chances.