The Tell, by Matthew Hertenstein: The Power of Prediction Based on Observation

1659 Words4 Pages

The Tell, by Matthew Hertenstein, is about the power of prediction based on observations of brief samples of others’ behavior. Throughout this book, Hertenstein teaches what tells in early life predict autism, how photographs betray others’ personality and aggressive inclinations, how smiling predicts marital stability, how micro-expressions signal deception, how facial structure predicts companies’ profits, and who wins political elections. In the following few pages, there will be many clues on what tells can predict certain things for the future (Hertenstein, ix).
In the first chapter of The Tell, Hertenstein looks at the synonym of the word “prediction: foreshadow, foretell, foresee, forecast, prognosticate, and envision” (Hertenstein, 4). These are only a few words that can replace prediction. He not only looks at the synonym of prediction, but he also suggests that natural selection explains why human beings are good at making predictions about people. Human beings have been making predictions since the existence of humankind. Some people are able to make more accurate predictions than others can. This is only because those people are highly conscientious, as Hertenstein calls them. Highly conscientious people are those who are reliable, they plan ahead, and focus on what they are doing. These people are aware of their surroundings and pay attention to detail.
During Isaac’s, Hertenstein’s son, first year and a half of his life, Hertenstein noticed that his son would not do simple things that almost every child at that age does. Isaac was not smiling a lot, he was not babbling, and many of his motor development, as Hertenstein describes them, such as sitting up, crawling, and walking were delayed by months. Herrnstein s...

... middle of paper ...

...nstein’s main points because they were back up by science and I have witnessed some of them, as I mentioned previously. The only one I disagreed with was the last two recommendations for voting for a presidential candidate.
I give this book a rating of A-. The Tell is a book in which someone can learn and apply concepts when predicting or assuming on something. Matthew Hertenstein wrote an excellent book in which one can grow as a person. The reason I give it an A- is that I believe it is a book that everyone should read, whether it is for pleasure reading or not. I personally do not like reading, but when I read this book, it opened my eyes to many things I was not aware of. I would like other students to feel the same way.

Works Cited

Hertenstein, Matthew J. The Tell: The Little Clues That Reveal Big Truths About Who We Are. Philadelphia: Basic, 2013. Print.

More about The Tell, by Matthew Hertenstein: The Power of Prediction Based on Observation

Open Document