Paul Bloom is a very down-to-earth guy for a professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale. In How Pleasure Works, his third book about what makes humans do what they do, he explores why we like what we like with clear language and a plethora of humorous examples. Jeremy Johnson gives voice to the book in the straightforward manner common to nonfiction narrations, committing to the scientific gravitas of this study in a way that remains engaging, and ultimately elevating the many funny bits by delivering them with a professional tone. It's not unlike one of the many informational videos seen on The Simpsons that begin with, "Hi, I'm Troy McClure..."

You'll wonder how Johnson avoids cracking up as he relates the evidence Bloom has collected over the years. Among so many delightful morsels of food for thought is the consideration of why people don't want to eat chocolate shaped like a turd, why granny has been sleeping with the same pillow for 86 years, why nobody tips an internationally famous violinist when he plays a free concert in the subway, why your significant other's identical twin isn't sexy, and why people watch movies that make them cry. Regaling us with oh-so-practical psychological information concerning the taboos of cannibalism and incest, Johnson does a terrific job of keeping one foot on the ground as he relates Bloom's amusing take on what makes us tick.

This book is a must-listen for anybody who eats, has sex, wonders what to save when the house burns down, goes to a museum, or has any imagination whatsoever. Bloom's plainspoken inquiry and Johnson's uncomplicated delivery are a winning combination, keeping this terrifically witty look at our everyday lives both easy to follow and engaging from start to finish. It is, as Bloom would say, mental cheesecake. —Megan Volpert