Loading...
Loading...
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Free
Per person
Boston Public Library, Boston, MA
Author and educator James Kimmel, Jr. discusses his 2025 nonfiction book, The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World's Deadliest Addiction—and How to Overcome It , as part of the City-Wide Friends of the Boston Public Library's Talks for Better Living series. There is a hidden addiction plaguing humanity right now: revenge. Researchers have identified retaliation in response to real and imagined grievances as the root cause of most forms of human aggression and violence. From vicious tweets to road rage, murder-suicide, and armed insurrection, perpetrators almost always see themselves as victims seeking justice. Chillingly, recent behavioral and neuroimaging studies of the human brain show that harboring a personal grievance triggers revenge desires and activates the neural pleasure and reward circuitry of addiction. Although this behavior is ancient and seems inevitable, by understanding retaliation and violence as an addictive brain-biological process, we can control deadly revenge cravings and save lives. In The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World's Deadliest Addiction—and How to Overcome It , Dr. Kimmel uncovers the truth behind why we want to hurt the people who hurt us, what happens when it gets out of hand, and how to stop it. He shines an unsparing light on humanity’s pathological obsession with revenge throughout history; America’s growing addiction to revenge as a special brand of justice; his own struggle with revenge addiction that almost led to a m Listed from Boston Public Library's public calendar. Details and registration: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6ad7ca2f11bbf300684cb786
Listen to James Kimmel before the event
New to Audible? Hear their books with a free trial. Cancel anytime.
As an Amazon Associate, BookGather earns from qualifying purchases.
Boston Public Library, Boston, MA
Listed by BookGather from Boston Public Library's public calendar. Is this your event? Claim or update it
Sign in to ask a question about this event
Other events by this author or similar topics
Join the Friends of the North End Branch Library in welcoming David Kruh to discuss his new book Little Mister Victory. David Kruh is a writer, historian, and playwright who is perhaps best-known for his two books on Scollay Square, the city's erstwhile entertainment district. His latest book is Little Mister Victory ( www.littlemistervictory.com ) the true story of a daughter's search for the woman who abandoned her father on the Boston Common on VJ Day, August 15, 1945. His other non-fiction works include one on Boston's highways and another on U.S. presidential homes and landmarks. Among David's produced and published works for the stage is a musical about the Boston Red Sox' so-called “Curse,” which enjoyed an extended run after its 2001 premiere at Boston's Equity Lyric Stage. David's columns and articles have appeared in publications including The Boston Globe , Boston Herald, History Magazine, Yankee Magazine, and Boston Magazine . This event is sponsored by the Friends of the North End Branch of the Boston Public Library through the generosity of the John D. McGonagle Foundation. Registration is not required. Visit www.friendsnelibrary.org or contact info@friendsnelibrary.org with any questions! Accessibility Notice : We strive to make our events accessible. To request a disability accommodation and/or language services, contact the department listed in the "Contact Info" pane on the right. Please allow at least two weeks to arrange accommodation. Listed from Boston Public Library's public calendar. Details and registration: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6abd48f39d27a000454da85e
Artist, designer Lea Redmond will discuss her latest book, "This is For You: Gift-Giving as a Way of Life." This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Rockridge Library . Copies of the book will be available for purchase by Tally Ho! Books. Listed from Oakland Public Library's public calendar. Details and registration: https://oaklandlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69d00f0a2866a5b488464a8c
Join University of Michigan professor Karin A. Martin for a conversation about her new book Get Plum Island!: Place and Politics in Massachusetts’s Ten-Year Fight Over the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The book tells the story of how the USFWS became interested in establishing a national wildlife refuge in Massachusetts, why Essex County became a premiere location, and how local communities and the state nearly succeeded in having the refuge abolished. Instead, after rounds of Congressional hearings and pocket veto by President Truman, a compromise was reached, reducing the refuge to about half its original size, and yet preserving the wonderful, vibrant refuge we know today. Karin A. Martin is the Mark A. Chesler Collegiate Professor of Sociology at the University of Michigan. She grew up in Amesbury, MA, received a BA from Hampshire College, and a PhD in Sociology from the University of California at Berkeley. Accessibility Notice : We strive to make our events accessible. To request a disability accommodation and/or language services, contact the department listed in the "Contact Info" pane on the right. Please allow at least two weeks to arrange accommodation. Listed from Boston Public Library's public calendar. Details and registration: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6ab28390101eb7003f320c4c