Steven Pinker discusses his book, The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature, on Tuesday, September 9, at 7 p.m. at the Central Library, 14 W. 10th St.

In The Stuff of Thought, recently released in paperback, Pinker explores everyday speech "from conversations to jokes to legal disputes" in examining how the human brain works. A psychology professor at Harvard University, Pinker concludes that language reflects our brain structure, which itself is innate.

The Stuff of Thought marries the two topics of Pinker’s earlier bestsellers: The Language Instinct, Words and Rules, and How the Mind Works.

Pinker is a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and was named one of Time magazine’s "100 Most Influential People in the World Today."

Pinker’s books will be available for sale, and the author will sign copies purchased during the event.