Book Club: Deviate by Beau Lotto

For our first book club meeting of 2026, we have chosen Deviate by world-renowned neuroscientist Beau Lotto.

When you open your eyes, do you see the world as it really is? Humans have been asking themselves this for thousands of years. Great minds of the past had theories about this, but neuroscience now has an answer. The answer is that we don’t see reality. The world exists, but we do not experience the world as it is because our brain didn’t evolve to do so. Drawing on two decades of work, the book takes us on a tour of how we perceive the world, and how disrupting it leads us to create and innovate.

Visually stunning, with entertaining illustrations and optical illusions throughout, and with clear and comprehensive explanations of the science behind how our perceptions operate, Deviate will revolutionise the way you see yourself, others and the world.

You can find out more about the book at Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently by Beau Lotto | Goodreads

If you don’t have to time to read the book, or prefer to watch Beau Lotto talking about the ideas in the book, you can watch Deviate | Beau Lotto | Talks at Google

Whatever you decide to read or watch, join us for a stimulating discussion with like-minded individuals in a relaxed atmosphere.

We have a group on Goodreads from which you can see all the books we're discussing and make comments and recommendations to other members of the group. Goodreads: Reading Humanists group.

For those wishing to participate in our discussion, we have a WhatsApp group which you can join at Reading Humanists Book Club WhatsApp Group.