Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will
nonfiction · First published 2023
Author guide
Robert M. Sapolsky Books in Order
Robert M. Sapolsky is the John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor of biology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Stanford University and a research associate with Kenya's National Museums. His research examines stress, brain aging, and neuroendocrinology, while his books synthesize neuroscience, primatology, behavioral biology, philosophy, and memoir. He is a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation fellowship.
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Catalog record updated .
Robert M. Sapolsky's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst
The fullest introduction to Sapolsky's mature synthesis of neuroscience, primatology, behavioral biology, and social science.
A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons
The strongest entry point for his narrative nonfiction and memoir writing about fieldwork with baboons in Kenya.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (4)
- Stress, the Aging Brain, and the Mechanisms of Neuron Death
nonfiction · 1992
- Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: A Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping
nonfiction · 1994
"Robert Sapolsky's acclaimed Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers combines cutting-edge research with a healthy dose of good humor and practical advice to explain how prolonged stress causes or intensifies a range of physical and mental…
- Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst
nonfiction · 2017
Why do we do the things we do? Over a decade in the making, this game-changing book is Robert Sapolsky's genre-shattering attempt to answer that question as fully as perhaps only he could, looking at it from every angle. Sapolsky's…
- Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will
nonfiction · 2023
Nonfiction (1)
Essays and speeches (2)
- The Trouble with Testosterone: And Other Essays on the Biology of the Human Predicament
essay-collection · 1997
- Monkeyluv: And Other Essays on Our Lives as Animals
essay-collection · 2005
How do imperceptibly small differences in the environment change one’s behavior? What is the anatomy of a bad mood? Does stress shrink our brains? What does People magazine’s list of America’s “50 Most Beautiful People” teach us about…
Frequently asked questions about Robert M. Sapolsky
Who is Robert M. Sapolsky?
Robert M. Sapolsky is a neuroendocrinologist, primatologist, neuroscientist, and science writer known for explaining the biology of stress, behavior, and human nature.
Sources: macfound.org (opens in a new tab)news.stanford.edu (opens in a new tab)
What does Robert M. Sapolsky research?
His research focuses on stress, neuron death, and gene therapy, including how stress hormones can damage neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region important for learning and memory.
Sources: med.stanford.edu (opens in a new tab)macfound.org (opens in a new tab)
Where does Robert M. Sapolsky work?
Sapolsky is the John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor at Stanford University, with appointments in biology, neurology and neurological sciences, and neurosurgery. He is also a research associate with the National Museums of Kenya.
Sources: med.stanford.edu (opens in a new tab)macfound.org (opens in a new tab)
How did Robert M. Sapolsky’s baboon research influence his career?
Since 1978, he has spent part of each year studying wild baboons in East Africa. This fieldwork examined how social conditions and personality relate to stress and disease, complementing his laboratory research on the brain.
What major award did Robert M. Sapolsky receive?
He was named a MacArthur Fellow in 1987 for his work on the mechanisms by which stress can damage the brain.