Loved this book. A very careful analysis of the processes by which we construct our view of the world, addressing the various innate biases we cannot control. Scientific studies, with sometimes light-hearted commentary.

Why read bilge like "The DaVinci Code' when you can read something as exciting like this, and learn a lot about your own brain in the process?
This is 5 star stuff, as other reviewers [save the unfortunate stargladiator with the damaged amyglada] say.
Proportionality bias was indeed an eye-opener, as was intentionality bias.
I also loved the page on basic fiction plots- turns out there are 7 to 20 such. "The Seven Basic Plots" sounds like a terrific read.
I did think that Brothereton underrated a simple primary cause- manipulating from shadows, lying, is an effective and safe way to steal [power, money etc.].
All the recent whistle-blowers surely prove there's LOTS to be paranoid about, not to mention the long history of the CIA [see Chomsky]. But this is a quibble- Brotherton's basic case is solid and well-delivered.
Read it!

An excellent summary of why all kinds of people (smart, dumb,educated, uneducated, right wing, left wing, etc.) see conspiracies in all manner of world events. I like the fact that Brotherton points out humans are pattern seeking animals that connect dots into patterns. Quite often these patterns are real but also the patterns can be illusions. Especially since confirmation bias skews our worldview that reinforces our beliefs. Counter-intuitively the more intelligent someone is the more likely they are to fall for conspiracy theories. What was eye-opening was the study proving that people have a "proportionality bias". That means big events must have big causes (like if I want a high score on a dice roll, I'll throw it harder pg.209). So if a president is killed it can't be due to a single guy with a gun, it has to be due to a powerful shady cabal. Also he shows how it is nigh-impossible for a conspiracy theorist to see that their pet conspiracy is full of holes and they go through convoluted thinking to rationalize their beliefs (ie, anti-vaccinationists think the lack of evidence between autism and vaccines is not because there is no link but due to a Big-pharma cover-up).

I am unfamiliar with this fellow's background, so I'll have to do a deep search on his financial history and addenda. Any nimrod still suggesting the Official Conspiracy Theory - - called the Warren Commission Report - - from psychos Allen Dulles and John McCloy [both of whom got off monstrous butchers from Hitler's Third Reich when they were past employees of I.G. Farben, et cetera] - - is solid is seriously dishonest and demented. The facts are now all out.
Instead I will challenge this fake on the background of the heroic actions of former Pfc. Eugene B. Dinkin, one of those who came forward, and naturally had his life destroyed in the process.
[Clowns like this, and so many seem to be British, told us that the CIA overthrow of the Iranian president was conspiracy theory, and declassified documents proved them WRONG; that the CIA overthrow of the Sukarno government of Indonesia was conspiracy theory, and the declassified docs proved them wrong; that the CIA overthrow of Salvador Allende of Chile was conspiracy theory, and declassified docs proved them WRONG!] There's some former CIA type going on the talk circuit, Jack Devine, involved with the murders of Chileans and Salvador Allende, who still claims America and the CIA had nothing to do with it, EVEN after the release of those classified docs!!!