Recommend books on how the mind works, human evolution, why we do things?

2tel1

You know those articles that you read that said something along the lines of

"The reason we are unhappier now than years ago is because we sit in front of computers in unstimulating office jobs, whereas we're programmed to be hunter gatherers, so we missing out on the endorphins we get from exercise"

(Good point, exercise makes you feel better, but sitting in front of a computer doing a boring job is mind numbing, especially when you get no social interaction with people)

Basically books that answer these questions on an evolutionary level.

"Why we laugh"
"Why me must form social groups"
"Why body language is so important" (apparently only 7% communication is reliant on the actual words spoken. The rest is biased on how they are spoken)
"What is the point of shyness in front of a potential mate, surely this is an evolutionary contradiction?"


Stuff like that

cheers

baalthor

Check out books by:

Steven Pinker (esp. his books on Language)

Matt Ridley

nellumr

Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan is about the evolution of the brain/mind, very interesting

speedy2007

Steven Pinker - How the Mind Works

Robert Winston - Human Instinct (you prob seen this guy, he's done some documentaries on the bbc)