LECTURES | Getting the Bugs Out

NPR's Joe Palca spent the summer of 2009 at The Huntington on a fellowship as science writer in residence. The result? His new book, Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us. (And we're trying not to take this personally.)

Palca will be back at The Huntington Thursday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. to introduce his book. With humor and plenty of hard data, he'll talk about why fingernails on a chalk board make us cringe and why that guy on the cell phone drives us crazy.

Check out his website at annoyingbook.com. And while you're at it, read what The New York Times had to say about it.

Particularly heartwarming was the plug National Public Radio's Car Talk guys gave the book: "Unlike the stuff we do on NPR, Joe Palca's reporting is based on insight, knowledge, intellectual curiosity, research, and facts. But don't let that turn you off!"

The book starts on a winning note: the all-too-grating experience of listening to someone's very loud "halfalogue." Don't know what that is? Come hear Palca and find out for yourself! The talk takes place in Friends' Hall and will be followed by a book signing.

Download: Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us is available as an audiobook on iTunes or an electronic book on iBooks.  

Susan Turner-Lowe is vice president for communications at The Huntington.