WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE WEIRD THINGS

Michael Shermer looks at our fascination with UFOs and aliens, psychics, fad diets and Holocaust-denial in this sometimes circular book. While bringing a much-needed dose of common sense and scientific thinking to seemingly farfetched beliefs, Shermer loses the listener with his monotonous reading. His arguments disputing the existence of the fantastic may work well on paper but sound unconvincing when read aloud. Not until the end of the book, when Shermer talks about his personal experiences, does the listener feel compelled to stand beside the author and join the world of the professional skeptic. H.L.S. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 99]