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  • Published: 27 June 2016
  • ISBN: 9780141981628
  • Imprint: Penguin Press
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $27.99

The Worm at the Core

On the Role of Death in Life




Proof of a ground-breaking theory: that the fear of death is the hidden motive behind almost everything we do

It guides our thoughts and actions, from the great art we create to the devastating wars we wage. It's the real reason why we buy expensive cars and crave fame. Think you're not constantly thinking about death? This book shows it's at the heart of life.

Psychologists Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, and Tom Pyszczynski have spent over twenty-five years researching the many ways that fear of death - and our desire to transcend it - guides our behaviour. Their groundbreaking theory offers a compelling new paradigm for understanding the choices we make in life reveals how we can better come to terms with death and learn to lead lives of courage, creativity, and compassion.

  • Published: 27 June 2016
  • ISBN: 9780141981628
  • Imprint: Penguin Press
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $27.99

Praise for The Worm at the Core

A joy . . . The Worm at the Core asks how humans can learn to live happily while being intelligently aware of our impending doom, how knowledge of death affects the decisions we make every day, and how we can stop fear and anxiety overwhelming us

Charlotte Runcie, Daily Telegraph

An important, superbly readable and potentially life-changing book

Tim Lott, Guardian

Deep, important, and beautifully written . . . utterly original

Daniel Gilbert

Every few lines some fascinating or unexpected fact forces you to exclaim: 'Blimey! Listen to this . . . '

Cressida Connolly, Spectator

The most comprehensive and well-evidenced account to date of the idea that fending off the awareness of death is the prime mover of the human condition

John Gray, New Statesman