You're correct in looking at the thickness of the book and being wary of what's coming out in the media. In the book, the trends and statistics were just a section (albeit a big one) but the rest of the book discusses a lot of theory as to what is driving the downward trend.

Ed Herman wrote a critique of the book, which I think is fair. For instance, Pinker chose to use Vietnam casualty stats from a source that a lot of intellectuals dismiss as painting a forgiving picture of the situation.

Regardless, I think the book gives a lot of great history lessons, statistical explanations, game theory discussion, talk on Hobbes and the Leviathan, political correctness as a social driver, the effects that education, technology, communication have, and so on.

Unfortunately, when it comes to current event interpretations, I think overall Pinker is out of his wheel house (compared to, say, Chomsky or Ed Herman), and he should be concerned that the media, which is sympathetic to corpoarte and State interests, are eager to solicit his opinions on the present day geo-politic picture