This Is Your Brain

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This Is Your Brain

Created by Sarah - Updated on April 01st 2021

I have always had an interest in how the brain works and how we think. Luckily, books on the brain have been amazingly popular lately. These are some of my favorites.

Remember : the science of memory and the art of forgetting

Genova, Lisa, author.

From the Publisher

The Harvard-trained neuroscientist presents an exploration of the intricacies of human memory that distinguishes between normal and concerning memory loss while explaining the profound roles of sleep, stress, and other contributing influences.

Keep sharp : build a better brain at any age

Gupta, Sanjay, 1969- author.

From the Publisher

"Throughout our life, we look for ways to keep our mind sharp and effortlessly productive. Now, globetrotting neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta offers insights from top scientists all over the world, whose cutting-edge research can help you heighten and protect brain function and maintain cognitive health at any age. Keep Sharp debunks common myths about aging and cognitive decline, explores whether there's a 'best' diet or exercise regimen for the brain, and explains whether it's healthier to play...

Blink : the power of thinking without thinking

Gladwell, Malcolm, 1963-

From the Publisher

How do we think without thinking, seem to make choices in an instant--in the blink of an eye--that actually aren't as simple as they seem? Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others? Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, the author reveals that great decision makers...

My Thoughts

You can never go wrong with a Malcolm Gladwell title, and this is one of my favorites.

Brain on fire : my month of madness

Cahalan, Susannah.

From the Publisher

Brain on Fire is the powerful account of one woman's struggle to recapture her identity and to rediscover herself among the fragments left behind. It is a story about a young New York Post reporter's struggle with a rare and terrifying disease, opening a new window into the fascinating world of brain science. Susannah Cahalan pieces together the story of her "lost month" to write an unforgettable memoir about memory and identity, faith and love. It is an important, profoundly compelling tale of...

Do no harm : stories of life, death, and brain surgery

Marsh, Henry, 1950- author.

From the Publisher

"Neurosurgeon Henry Marsh reveals the fierce joy of operating, the profoundly moving triumphs, the harrowing disasters, the haunting regrets, and the moments of black humor that characterize a brain surgeon's life. If you believe that brain surgery is a precise and exquisite craft, practiced by calm and detached surgeons, this ... brutally honest account will make you think again"--Amazon.com.

Incognito : the brains behind the mind

Eagleman, David

From the Publisher

"This book will shine light on some of the hard-to-reach places in the brain, showing the ways in which we are not the ones driving the boat. Why does the conscious mind know so little? What do visual illusions unmask about the machinery running under the hood? How much of our lives are determined by choices and behaviors that are hard-wired, unconscious, and beyond our control? Do we have any management over who we find gorgeous or repugnant? How is it possible to get angry at yourself: who...

The organized mind : thinking straight in the age of information overload

Levitin, Daniel J.

From the Publisher

With lively, entertaining chapters on everything from the kitchen junk drawer to health care to executive office workflow, Levitin reveals how new research into the cognitive neuroscience of attention and memory can be applied to the challenges of our daily lives.

My Thoughts

This is a great book that looks at how the latest brain science can help us deal with all the data that gets thrown at us everyday.

The psychopath test : a journey through the madness industry

Ronson, Jon, 1967-

From the Publisher

In this madcap journey, a bestselling journalist investigates psychopaths and the industry of doctors, scientists, and everyone else who studies them.

The teenage brain : a neuroscientist's survival guide to raising adolescents and young adults

Jensen, Frances E., author.

From the Publisher

"Jensen [examines] the brains of teenagers, dispelling myths and offering practical advice for teens, parents, and teachers"-- Provided by publisher.

The tell-tale brain : a neuroscientist's quest for what makes us human

Ramachandran, V. S.

From the Publisher

V. S. Ramachandran is at the forefront of his field-so much so that Richard Dawkins dubbed him the "Marco Polo of neuroscience." Now, in a major new work, Ramachandran sets his sights on the mystery of human uniqueness. Taking us to the frontiers of neurology, he reveals what baffling and extreme case studies can teach us about normal brain function and how it evolved.

Thinking, fast and slow

Kahneman, Daniel, 1934-

From the Publisher

In the international bestseller, Thinking, Fast and Slow , Daniel Kahneman, the renowned psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical.

My Thoughts

We all think fast and slow and this book is a great look at the benefits and disadvantages of each.

You are now less dumb : how to conquer mob mentality, how to buy happiness, and all the other ways to outsmart yourself

McRaney, David.

From the Publisher

You Are Now Less Dumb is grounded in the idea that we all believe ourselves to be objective observers of reality--except we're not. But that's okay, because our delusions keep us sane. Expanding on this premise, McRaney provides eye-opening analyses of fifteen more ways we fool ourselves every day.

My Thoughts

Blogger David McRaney takes a look at things we think we know, but, maybe not.

The knowledge illusion : why we never think alone

Sloman, Steven A., author.

From the Publisher

Humans have built hugely complex societies and technologies, but most of us don't even know how a pen or a toilet works. How have we achieved so much despite understanding so little? Cognitive scientists Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach argue that we survive and thrive despite our mental shortcomings because we live in a rich community of knowledge. The key to our intelligence lies in the people and things around us. We're constantly drawing on information and expertise stored outside our...

Awkward : the science of why we're socially awkward and why that's awesome

Tashiro, Ty, author.

From the Publisher

Interweaving research with personal tales and real world examples, this offers reassurance and provides insight into how readers can embrace their personal quirks and unique talents to harness their awesome potential, and more comfortably navigate their complex world.

When the air hits your brain : tales of neurosurgery

Vertosick, Frank T.

From the Publisher

With poignant insight and humor, Frank Vertosick Jr., MD, describes some of the greatest challenges of his career, including a six-week-old infant with a tumor in her brain, a young man struck down in his prime by paraplegia, and a minister with a .22-caliber bullet lodged in his skull. Told through intimate portraits of Vertosick's patients and unsparing yet fascinatingly detailed descriptions of surgical procedures, When the Air Hits Your Brain illuminates both the mysteries of the mind and...