Publisher pulls second Lehrer book

A second Jonah Lehrer book is being pulled from shelves, a year after his best-selling work 'Imagine' was withdrawn following reports that the author had made up quotes from singer Bob Dylan.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt announced that Lehrer’s 'How We Decide', originally published in 2009, was being taken “off sale”. Spokeswoman Lori Glazer said the decision followed an internal review, but did not elaborate.

The book, published in 2009, explores how people make decisions and how those decisions can be improved.

'Imagine' was withdrawn after Tablet Magazine reported that Lehrer had manipulated and fabricated Dylan quotes. At the same time, he resigned as a staff writer for The New Yorker.

He apologised in a blog saying his mistakes had "caused deep pain to those I care about".

Ms Glazer said the publisher would continue to sell a third Lehrer book, 'Proust Was A Neuroscientist', which was released in 2007.

Lehrer, 31, had been a popular author and speaker, specialising in books and essays about how the mind works. But had also been criticised for sloppy scholarship and faulty reasoning, and admitted recycling his own journalism for separate publications.

During a recent speech in Miami, Florida, he blamed himself for “arrogance” and “carelessness” and expressed hope that he could revive his career.