Customer Reviews

Double Your Brain Power: How to Use All of Your Brain All of the Time

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book falls into the category of books that claim that a few mental exercises can make Einsteins out of all of us, that the Einsteins and Newtons of the world are not that much different than the rest of us. While I don't agree with this belief, I do believe that mental ability can be improved through exercises and I found many of the exercises to be interesting and helpful. I had a problem with the author's demonstration of how these exercises can help the reader. In the introduction, the author has the reader read a section of text and then she introduces a "Brain Power Doubler" for the reader to use while reading a second section of text. The "Brain Power Doubler" is supposed to allow the reader to read the second section of text in less time than the first section of text even though the two sections are supposed to have the same number of words. When I went back and checked the number of words in both sections, I found several times as many words in the first section than in the second section, which had more to do with the time differences than the exercise.

I picked this book up in a "bargain bin," so my expectations were rather low. Unfortunately, they were fulfilled.

The actual practices in the book are rather good. Some of them I've seen before and practice in my daily life. But the book itself tries to back them up with the saddest examples of cargo-cult science and unverifiable "case studies" I've seen this side of _The Peter Principle_.

One example: the author is trying to convince the reader that near-perfect recall is possible to achieve. As a convincing argument, she puts forth the fact that the average desktop computer has near-perfect recall, and scientists have stated that the modern computer is many years away from being able to emulate or compete with the human brain. Therefore, a human should be able to do anything a computer can! This kind of sad logic can be found in every chapter.

Intriguingly, the author includes a chapter on how to read critically. The fourteen techniques are all good, if not groundbreaking. The irony, to me, was that this book as a whole fails every test--from relying heavily on (flawed) analogy as noted above, to vague attribution (aside from a rather light bibliography, there are is not a single endnote backing up any of the many "scientific studies" referenced), to appeals to authority (the author likes to drop the name of Isaac Asimov as a "personal friend") and "emotionally loaded arguments" (the exuberant infomercial theme evident in the title is carried throughout the book).

All in all, if you already have a habit of reading or thinking critically, you will find this book hard to read. If you can hold your nose past the garbage long enough to read about the techniques, you may find them interesting.

This book was terrible. I bought it in the hopes of learning something better than the normal mneumonic techniques;however,her book showed techniques that were impractical and plain dumb. For all those out there looking for a good book on memory that will really WORK!!!! Try Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas's The Memory Book. The techniques are easy to learn, but will take time to apply to information for school. However, you will be rewarded for your efforts.

She starts off with great insight to the function of your mind. Then, she gives you tools to harness the maximum power of your brain. Giving you tools such as "Optimum Learning State", Memory techniques and fantastic reading skills. I would say that my abilities have doubled maybe even tripled since reading and practicing the tools within this book. Definitely 5 stars.

Folks.... I have wasted a good chunk of money on those memory boosters books, kits, and instant reading stuff. I wish I found this book back then. All you get in those high ticket seminars, kits and home study courses is here for less than $15.00(Tax included). I recommend this book to anyone. Scienice based facts, with none of the over hyped claims.