Books like The Leap: The Science of Trust and Why It Matters

Why do we work with others? According to conventional wisdom, people are selfish and greedy, and if it weren’t for society’s rules and rewards, we would all be taking advantage of one another. But a wealth of new research suggests that we are far more trusting—and trustworthy—than we’ve long assumed. In fact, our trust in others turns out to be a type of social glue. It’s the currency of social capital and ultimately what keeps teams, communities, even nations together.In The Leap, best-selling author Ulrich Boser shows how the emerging science of trust and cooperation can transform our lives, rebuild our economy, and strengthen society. In this engaging and deeply researched narrative, Boser visits a radio soap opera in Rwanda that aims to restore the country’s broken trust, profiles the man who brought honesty to one of the most corrupt nations in Latin America, and explains how a college dropout managed to con his way into American high society. In the end, Boser even jumps out of an airplane to better understand his own faith in others.A powerful mix of hard science and compelling storytelling, The Leap explores how we trust, why we trust, and what we can all do to deepen trust. The book includes insightful policy recommendations along with revealing and surprising new data on the state of trust in America today.