The Brain and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more


or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
or
Amazon Prime Free Trial required. Sign up when you check out. Learn More
Kindle Edition
 
   
Sell Back Your Copy
For a $0.07 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
The Brain: A Very Short Introduction
 
 
Start reading The Brain on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

The Brain: A Very Short Introduction [Paperback]

Michael O'Shea (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

List Price: $11.95
Price: $6.90 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $5.05 (42%)
  Special Offers Available
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it delivered Tuesday, January 31? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Textbook Student FREE Two-Day Shipping for Students. Learn more

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $4.98  
Paperback $6.90  
Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged $14.95 or Free with Audible 30-day free trial

Book Description

0192853929 978-0192853929 February 16, 2006 1st
The Brain: A Very Short Introduction provides a non-technical introduction to the main issues and findings in current brain research and gives a sense of how neuroscience addresses questions about the relationship between the brain and the mind. Short, clear discussions on the mechanical workings of the brain are offered and the details of brain science are covered in an accessible style. Explanations of the more familiar implications of the brain's actions, such as memories, perceptions, and motor control are integrated throughout the book. It has chapters on brain processes and the causes of "altered mental states," as well as a final chapter that discusses possible future developments in neuroscience, touching on artificial intelligence, gene therapy, the importance of the Human Genome Project, drugs by design, and transplants. Up-to-date coverage of the newest developments in brain research and suggestions for future research on the brain are also included.

About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.

Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • Buy $50 in qualifying physical textbooks, get $5 in Amazon MP3 Credit. Here's how (restrictions apply)

Frequently Bought Together

The Brain: A Very Short Introduction + Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) + Intelligence: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
Price For All Three: $20.68

Show availability and shipping details

Buy the selected items together
  • In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) $7.03

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Intelligence: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) $6.75

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details



Editorial Reviews

Review

'O'Shea writes with real enthusiasm.' The Guardian

About the Author


Michael O'Shea is Director of the Sussex Center for Neuroscience.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 144 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1st edition (February 16, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0192853929
  • ISBN-13: 978-0192853929
  • Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

 

Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A great introduction, May 25, 2006
This review is from: The Brain: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
This is one of the best books in the VSI series, and I've read well over thirty by now. It gives a very good introduction to the basic neuroanatomy of the brain, and explains many important brain functions. The book is intended for laypeople, but even those (like me) who are familiar with the subject can benefit from reading it. Oftentimes neuroscience textbook overwhelm with details, and it is sometimes hard to see the forest from the trees. This book provides a good bird's eye perspective on the field, and its many references and recommended books make it a valuable reference. Very importantly, the book is up to date in some of the more recent discoveries, including some current controversies like grandma neuron, the idea that the brain has a neuron devoted just for recognizing each family member.

A good, well written and well organized book. I highly recommend it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A brainy introduction, but not picture perfect, September 15, 2007
By 
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Brain: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
O'Shea's book provides a very broad overview of the structure and function of the most complex object known to Man. The biochemical and physical interactions of neurons, the formation of memory, brain-machine interaction, and a range of other topics, are all touched upon in a readable and informative manner, pitched at the level of an intelligent beginner, and requiring just an elementary grasp of physics and chemistry. The book has one significant shortcoming: Most of the illustrations are copied from other publications, and are a poor match with the text. For example, on page 45 there is a diagram illustrating avoidance behavior in unicellular animals, a simple concept not requiring a diagram, let alone one that occupies almost an entire page and contains labels that are not referenced in the text. Yet when we come to the discussion of the large-scale structure of the human brain, in Chapter 4, which cries out for a detailed diagram, there is none. I was reduced to finding one online, to refer to as I read the text. I agonized long and hard about whether to deduct a star from the rating, because I do recommend this book, but in the end I decided I had to. I hope OUP reissue it with more relevant illustrations.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Describes the brain concisely with clarity, July 8, 2010
This review is from: The Brain: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)

Another Very Short Introduction published by Oxford, The Brain describes in more than enough detail to satisfy any college course the functions, mechanisms and probable evolutionary development of the brain. It does not go into molecular descriptions, but stops at statements like "potassium ion gate." Also, the text identifies want isn't known; such as the purpose of the glial cells that surround neurons.

The text is straightforward and clear; although the topic is nearly overwhelming. The first major item that surprised me was that the neurons of the brain are basically the same for all species. Humans just have a whole bunch of them, given the size of the human body.

In short, this book delivers its title. 'nuff said.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews






Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Think for a few moments about a very special machine, your brain - an organ of just 1.2 kg, containing one hundred billion nerve cells, none of which alone has any idea who or what you are. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
reticular theory, ganglion cell axons, receiving neuron, memory formation
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Nobel Prize, Leonardo da Vinci
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:



Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums





Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject