Book Review: Situations Matter

Title: Situations Matter
Author: Sam Sommers
Publisher: Riverhead
Book: Hardcover, 304 pages
Buy: Amazon.com

Synopsis:
          The world around you is pulling your strings, shaping your innermost instincts and your most private thoughts. And you don’t even realize it.
          Every day and in all walks of life, we overlook the enormous power of situations, of context in our lives. That’s a mistake, says Sam Sommers in his provocative new book. Just as a museum visitor neglects to notice the frames around paintings, so do people miss the influence of ordinary situations on the way they think and act. But frames- situations- do matter. Your experience viewing the paintings wouldn’t be the same without them. The same is true for human nature.
          In Situations Matter, Sommers argues that by understanding the powerful influence that context has in our lives and using this knowledge to rethink how we see the world, we can be more effective at work, at home, and in daily interactions with others. He describes the pitfalls to avoid and offers insights into making better decisions and smarter observations about the world around us.


Review:
           The author brings up great examples of how everyday situations shape our decisions and our lives. One such powerful example is the one of a little boy being kidnapped in England by two 10 year old boys. To the outside world, it seems like they are all brothers, but in reality, the boys had bad intentions. The witnesses that saw the boy are famously known as the 'Liverpool 38'; 38 people that saw them one time or another before the young boy was murdered. All the witnesses had different reasons for not intervening, and the author highlights that as one reason why victims in large crowds receive less help than ones in small crowds. It's also why police tell you to scream "fire" if you're in trouble instead of "help". 
          
           He also brings up situations that involve leadership, mass behavior, and self-perception, all of which play a role in our decisions. He makes serious points while adding bits of humor to lighten the mood, as well as examples from his own life as a professor and a husband/father. He lets you know that it's okay if every example fits you to a tee... that's why he wrote this book! He wants to make us aware of what we don't notice or don't do so that in the future, we can pay attention to those details that pass us by and make others aware. One of the biggest lessons this book teaches is this... don't jump to conclusions! 
         
           I thought this was a very informative and insightful book full of lessons that everyone should learn. It's not just about helping fellow people in need, it's also about noticing details, not letting life pass you by, and honing in on skills and knowledge that you may not know you have. If someone drops something in front of you, help them pick it up. If someone at work looks like they are mad at you, think of the many other reasons they could be upset and talk to them if you need to. It reminds me of the Allstate commercials where one person sees someone do a good deed and does a good deed to someone else. It's like a chain of good deeds, and I feel as though this book is the beginning link to that chain. I give this book 4 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in order to create this review. The opinions expressed are of my own. Thank you to Trish at TLC Book Tours.