Can Darwinism help us grasp this uniquely human tendency, asks Alex Defert
A Very Human Ending
by Jesse Bering, Doubleday, 288pp, £16.99
The taboo of suicide runs deep in human consciousness. We fear it, avoid discussing it and, for the most part, find the train of thought that might lead to it abhorrent or distressing. I imagine that some people will avoid picking up a copy of Bering’s book for that reason; but that would be a mistake. This is an incisive and thought-provoking foray into a sorely needed conversation.
