Review

The Times Educational Supplement

"Graham Pepper's That Attitude Book is a work of undoubted self-belief. In fact, so determined was the author to get the book published that he did it himself. It's an interesting compendium of homilies, quotations, brain theory and popular psychology. Its sub-text is "you can be what you want to be" and it exudes positive messages. The early part of the book is about our brain. This introduces the reader to the limbic system and neo-cortex, to neurotransmitters and the synapse. It also encourages us to introduce ourselves to "the chatterbox, the little voice which is always telling us to be careful".

This odd mix of the scientific and colloquial has a kind of charm. It reminds me of the bestselling Little Book of Calm, packed with uplifting quotations and moralistic advice about cultivating the garden of your mind.

The low-budget clip-art shoots any street-cred to bits, but you can imagine giving this book to a teenager and not being despised for it."

23 January 2004