Buyology: Truth and Lies About What We Buy by Martin Lindstrom

... because religion and shopping aren't very different!

The book in one sentence: Marketing and neuroscience shed light on why people buy!

My thoughts: Why do some people's heartbeats race when they see a shiny red Ferrari? Why do some cringe at the sound of a specific ringtone? And why is it that when you those familiar white earbuds, you know right away what brand it is?

Based on age-old marketing ploys and neuroscience, Martin Lindstrom set out to reveal why. Neuroscience reveals what surveys and interviews can't - and it can't lie! Hooking up subjects to MRI-like machines, he found out that when shown certain brand names, it triggered a response in the part of the brain associated with having a religious experience! Which is a scary thought -- shopping as a  new religion? There are tons more insights, but this resonated with me.
 
I've enjoyed Malcolm Gladwell's books and Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy is among the new kids on the block. I am not really a shopaholic, but I am always interested in the psychology of people! I found this book a quick, interesting and easy-to-read.

Verdict: Think twice before you succumb to an impulse buy!