Customer Reviews

The Brain Has a Mind of Its Own: Insights from a Practicing Neurologist

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Great book. Looks at many questions once reserved for the arts, religion and philosophy and not science. I really enjoyed this book. Easy and quick read! I got this after reading "The Body Has a Mind" of it's own which I also highly reccommend. One must be carefull to not read into the information their already pre decided beliefs. It will make you either totally agree with Restak and think he is a guru or hate him as a heritic. He is neither just a scientist who is also human. Love the book!

Richard Restak, MD offers readers a sort of memoir where he discusses and provides his opinion and insights regarding recent discoveries in the neurosciences and related disciplines. Each topical essay is short, well-written and ranges about the mysterious landscape of the brain and human behavior, the mysteries of mental illness, and the dogmatism and conflicts of those in the medical trenches trying to address the suffering of those entering their offices.

Restak is a gifted writer who has a wealth of experience. I like the way he interjects events and occurrences from his own life to offer unique perspectives in the relationship of the brain and the mind, new techniques in imaging, the wealth of new medications, genetic studies and applications, the gaps between psychiatry and neurology, and their impacts on psychosurgery, genetic engineering, biological psychiatry, among others. His strategy of opening most chapters with real-world cases (names changed, of course) and then bringing in the clinical and medical context works wonderfully. And, I particularly enjoy the wide range of topics -- from discussing how the Greek philosophers or ancients viewed something to the next chapter being devoted to say, designer drugs.

A fascinating read, one you'll enjoy keeping by the bedside to read a couple of chapters at a time.

R. Neil Scott
Middle Tennessee State University