PRETHINK is a book of medium-sized ideas, each of which matter-of-factly explains a slice of the order and disorder in everyone's, everyday life. The ideas are expressed thoroughly but quickly and with a good amount of humor. The book doesn't try to motivate or inspire its readers. Good medium-sized ideas are not tiresome like those of philosophy, psychology, or self-help, and generally they're more useful. They are not the type of ideas which you need to remember. Because once you learn them, you will never forget them.
The collection of ideas we know is our prethink. The best way to interpret a situation as it is happening, is with an idea we already know. After the fact thinking, using logic and whatever information might be available, is post-think.
This book is not about teaching anyone how to think. It is simply a collection of frequently-useful ideas to add to the ones you already know. The more ideas you know, the less you will need to rely on post-think.
Strong ideas which are both reliable and reusable are known as concepts. This is a book of concepts.
Touching on concepts you already know, such as less is more and everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face, Chapter 1 is a quick discussion about the reliability and versatility of concepts.
Following that, there are 25 chapters. Each one quickly explains and demonstrates a concept and concludes with a cartoon which is both relevant and amusing. All of the concepts are ones that once you learn them, you will never forget them.
Like the happenings in our everyday lives, the concepts in Prethink are wide-ranging. They include the optimism of the untipping point, a different figuring on the math of half, and an impartial assessment of those who are hard of listening. Most of the concepts are original, the others are the best-of-the-best of other people's useful ideas.
This book doesn't talk down to anyone, nor does it talk up to anyone. It was intentionally written to speak to everyone. There is nothing boring or inappropriate in the book.
If you want an easy-to-read book which is smart, funny, and not hundreds of pages long, Prethink is for you.
