The Heretics

From the author of Selfie

"I loved it . . . funny, serious, richly vivid . . . Read this book." Daily Telegraph

Why do obviously intelligent people believe things in spite of the evidence against them?

Will Storr has travelled across the world to meet an extraordinary cast of modern heretics in order to answer this question. He goes on a tour of Holocaust sites with David Irving and a band of neo-Nazis, experiences his own murder during 'past-life regression' hypnosis, takes part in a mass homeopathic overdose, and investigates a new disease affecting tens of thousands of people - a disease that doesn't actually exist.

Using a unique mix of personal memoir, investigative journalism and the latest research from neuroscience and experimental psychology, Storr reveals why the facts just won't convince some people, and how the neurological 'hero-maker' inside all of us can so easily lead to self-deception and science-denial. The Heretics will change the way you think about thinking.

PRAISE FOR THE HERETICS

"An investigation not only of outlandish belief systems, but of all belief systems . . . engaging" Sunday Times

"Storr can open chapters like a stage conjurer, and his prose has an easy, laconic style embracing Jon Ronson's taste for the fabulously weird and Louis Theroux's ability to put his subjects at ease. He is a funny and companionable guide . . . [who] confounds expectations." Guardian

"Incontrovertibly brilliant" Esquire

"The Heretics throws new and salutary light on all our conceits and beliefs. Very valuable, and a great read to boot, this is investigative journalism of the highest order." Independent, Book of the Week

"Utterly engrossing . . . The Heretics is an accessible and absolutely compelling read, Storr leaving us with a distinct lack of trust in the verity of our own beliefs. The most dangerous thing anyone can do is dismiss as stupid the beliefs of fringe extremists." Daily Express

"Read this and never trust your own mind again." Q Magazine

"Impressive . . . brilliant . . . Storr makes you think about the people on both sides of the debate . . . Very astute." Evening Standard