Quirkology. The Curious Science of Everyday Lives; Pan Books, 2015

Ever wondered why bad musicians always win the Eurovision Song Contest, or how incompetent politicians get elected?

You need some Quirkology in your life.

While other scientists beaver away on obvious problems, Richard Wiseman has been busy uncovering the secret ingredients of charisma, exploring how our personalities are shaped by when we are born and examining why people usually miss the obvious signs of their partner's infidelity. Using scientific methods to investigate offbeat topics that interest the general public as well as the scientific community, Quirkology brings a new understanding to the backwaters of the human mind and takes us to places where mainstream scientists fear to tread. Comparable to Freakonomics, but British, far more populist, and a lot funnier.

Findings include:

How does your surname influence your life?

What does the way you walk reveal about your personality?

Why should women have men write their personal ads?

What is the funniest joke in the world?