Complete quests for riches and glory to help herald the paperback release of You Are Not So Smart

Photo illustration of Graham Clark by Brad Clark

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Below these words, you will find 10 quests, each offering a prize should you complete the challenges therein.

The You Are Not So Smart book was published and then released into the wild about a year ago. That means it is time for it transmutate into paperback form, and I’m proud to announce the paperback version is now on shelves just about everywhere books hide. Also, if you live in the UK or one of the many countries that buys books from UK marketplaces, you can now get the You Are Not So Smart book free of hassle with a new, dapper cover design.

To promote this wondrous occasion, I want to send you on some quests. Should you succeed, you will be handsomely rewarded. Some will be easy, and some will be trials of will and skill. Those proved worthy will be featured in a future posting. Here they are:

Quest the First

Tweet for a chance to receive a phrenology bust and a signed copy of the book.

Tweet about the book with a link back to here. Add @notsmartblog in your tweet. Should you herald the arrival of the new tome in this way, you will be placed in a drawing of lots for one of three phrenology busts and a signed copy of the book, and, of course, my deepest thanks.

(Each tweet counts as an entry. The drawing will be held one week hence by random number generator. Three winners each get a phrenology bust and a signed copy of the book. I will cross out this quest on that date.)

Quest the Second

Post on Facebook and get a signed copy of the book.

Share any post on this blog on your Facebook page with a note about the release of the paperback. The first 10 people to get more than 20 likes on their post will receive a signed copy of the book and a thoughtful nod of appreciation.

(Send a screenshot to david@youarenotsosmart.com. Limit: First 10 submitted. I will cross out this quest once it is completed.)

Quest the Third

Take a photo and receive a signed copy of the book.

Take a photo of the book on display in a bookstore or in the hands of a reader and post it to Instagram. Should you complete this quest, a random number generator will decide if you receive a signed copy of the book and a heartfelt missive.

(Share the link to david@youarenotsosmart.com with a note about where the photo was taken – Limit: First 20 chosen by a random number generator one week hence – I will cross out this quest on that date.)

Quest the Fourth

Find self delusion in the wild and receive a signed copy of the book.

Find a news item, article, blog post, opinion piece, tweet, or other Internet item from the last three months that is a perfect example of one of the topics from the blog. If you can pass such thing to me, you may be rewarded with a signed copy of the book and my deepest gratitude.

(Send a link to david@youarenotsosmart.com – Limit: First 10 chosen by a random number generator one week hence – I will cross out this quest on that date.)

Quest the Fifth

Get into an argument and earn a signed copy of the UK edition.

Get into an argument on the Internet that results in your opponent using a logical fallacy or illustrating a cognitive bias or a faulty heuristic. Show them the error of their ways. The first 10 to return with a screenshot and be selected at random will be showered in riches and heralded from the rooftops and receive a signed copy of the UK edition of the book.

(Send to david@youarenotsosmart.com – Limit: First 10 chosen by a random number generator one week hence – I will cross out this quest on that date.)

Quest the Sixth

Create a mixed drink and earn a plush neuron and a signed copy of the UK edition.

Create a mixed drink named after any topic ever covered on the blog, the podcast, or the book. Explain why the drink is named after that topic, take photos, and provide detailed instructions on how to make it. Videos are also welcomed. Should you prevail and be selected at random, you will receive a plush neuron and a signed copy of the UK edition of the book.

(Send to david@youarenotsosmart.com – Limit: This quest wasn’t completed in time, so it now goes to the first person to complete it.)

Quest the Seventh

Edify a blowhard, receive a useless box and a signed copy of the book.

Photograph or film yourself politely handing a copy of the book to a famous politician or a well-known pundit. Be nice. Should you succeed, you will receive a useless box and a signed copy of the book.

(Send to david@youarenotsosmart.com – Limit: This quest wasn’t completed in time, so it now goes to the first person to complete it.)

Quest the Eighth

Record a marshmallow experiment, receive a Sigmund Freud puppet and signed book.

Shoot a video of a human under five-years-old passing or failing the marshmallow test I wrote about in the post about procrastination. Should you capture such an event and be selected at random, you will receive a Sigmund Freud finger puppet and couch and a signed copy of the book.

(Send YouTube video link to david@youarenotsosmart.com – Limit: First 3 chosen by a random number generator one week hence – I will cross out this quest on that date.)

Quest the Ninth

Create beautiful music yon bard, and receive music, the audiobook, and a signed book in return.

Record a song I can use as background music on the podcast – no singing. Should you return with such an item, you will receive a signed copy of the book, an album download for Helena Jesele, an album download for Caroline Crawford, a $20 gift card to iTunes, the audiobook version of the book, and a signed copy of the book.

(Send to david@youarenotsosmart.comLimit: This quest wasn’t completed in time, so it now goes to the first person to complete it.)

Quest the Tenth

Read the book in a famous location, receive a useless box, a phrenology head, a plush neuron, a Sigmund Freud puppet, and signed copies of the US, UK, German and Korean editions of the book.

Travel to the Freud museum in London and take a photograph of yourself reading the book…near…Freud’s couch which I wrote about in the post on ego depletion, or travel to the Capilano Suspension Bridge and photograph yourself reading the book in the middle of the bridge I wrote about in the post on the misattribution of arousal. If you accomplish either feat, you will receive a useless box, a phrenology head, a plush neuron, a Sigmund Freud puppet, and signed copies of the US, UK, German and Korean editions of the book.

(Send photo to david@youarenotsosmart.com – Limit: This quest wasn’t completed in time, so it now goes to the first person to complete it.)

Other book stuff:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes |IndieBound | Books-A-Million | Audible

Sample Chapter | Get Your Digital Copy Signed | Free Signed Bookplates

Trailer One | Trailer Two