Original Sin

A tour de force. Original Sin is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book that invites us to go deep into questions about why people do terrible things and how we should treat them afterwards. Harden’s discussion is deepened by her personal reflections on her own responses to hurt and cruelty - a rare mixture, showing how the scientific and the personal perspective combine in a rich complementarity. I loved this book – GWEN ADSHEAD, author of THE DEVIL YOU KNOWAn extraordinary book, the very best of science writing, because it is not just about science, but is memoir, history, bleeding-edge genetics and a completely original take on original sin. Thrilling, entertaining, provocative, brilliant – ADAM RUTHERFORDA powerful read that stops you dead in your tracks and forces you to think very deeply – PROFESSOR SUE BLACKUnique, expansive and illuminating - a mix of religion and genetics that interweaves intensely personal storytelling with rigidly objective science to explore big questions about the bad things we have the capacity to do – JOHN HIGGSRegardless of the side you take in the nature vs nurture debate, Kathryn Paige Harden’s Original Sin offers an eye-opening perspective on possible genetic links to antisocial behaviour. Those who can accept that there is nothing inherently amoral about having an unconventional experience of emotion will see the potential life-changing and positive impact this understanding can have on stigmatised and marginalised antisocial youth – PATRIC GAGNE, author of SOCIOPATHEven if you have no interest in the concept of sin, this is a compelling read. Harden’s bottom line is that we subjective beings are morally responsible for our actions (sorry), despite the fact that we also tick along deterministically. This emotionally startling and intellectually erudite book explains why – MARK SOLMS, neuroscientist, psychoanalyst and author of THE ONLY CURE

Kathryn Paige Harden, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas, where she directs the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab and co-directs the Texas Twin Project. Paige lives in Austin with her husband, three children, and dog (who also participates in genetic research).