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Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life
 
 
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Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life (Hardcover)

by Sam Wang (Author), Sandra Aamodt (Author)
Key Phrases: people with damage, sham acupuncture, Mike May, Beautiful Mind, Diet Coke (more...)
4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Neuroscientists Aamodt, editor-in-chief of Nature Neuroscience, and Wang, of Princeton University, explain how the human brain—with its 100 billion neurons—processes sensory and cognitive information, regulates our emotional life and forms memories. They also examine how human brains differ from those of other mammals and show what happens to us during dreams. They also tackle such potentially controversial topics as whether men and women have different brains (yes, though what that means in terms of capabilities and behavior, they say, is up in the air) and whether intelligence is shaped more by genes or environment (genes set an upper limit on people's intelligence, but the environment before birth and during childhood determines whether they reach their full genetic potential). Distinguishing their book are sidebars that explode myths—no, we do not use only 10% of our brain's potential but nearly all of it—and provide advice on subjects like protecting your brain as you get older. The book could have benefited from a glossary of neurological terms and more illustrations of the brain's structure. Still, this is a terrific, surprisingly fun guide for the general reader. B&w illus. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Welcome to Your Brain is a delightful and engaging romp through neuroscience by two of its leading lights -- a marvelous collection of facts and findings that answer the questions we all have about our own minds. If the human brain came with an owner's manual, it might well look like this.” —Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness

“Welcome To Your Brain is a lucid and fascinating journey into the inner life of the mind, an essential manual for one of nature's most amazing technologies. You'll never think about yourself -- or think about thinking -- quite the same way again.” —Steven Johnson, author of Mind Wide Open and The Ghost Map

“People need to know how the brain works. How else can you competently serve on a jury, or vote for what the government should spend money on, or decide what to make of your child having trouble learning to read? But here's the problem: lots of people find science difficult. Welcome to Your Brain is a great solution. Written by two top neuroscientists, it's great on the facts—accurate, up to date, focuses on all the important topics—AND it's crystal clear and witty and irreverent and wonderfully written. This is a terrific book.” —Robert Sapolsky, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers

“If all scientists could write like this, professional science writers would be out of a job.  Welcome to Your Brain is clear, understandable, entertaining and fascinating.  A description of how, in a noisy room, to hear a caller on your cell phone is just one of the many good reasons to buy this book.” —Sandra Blakeslee, co-author, The Body Has a Mind of its Own



See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; 1 edition (March 4, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1596912839
  • ISBN-13: 978-1596912830
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #81,586 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

28 Reviews
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 (16)
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Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Brainy, fascinating fun, March 21, 2008
"Welcome to Your Brain" examines the kinds of questions that got me interested in neuroscience 20 years ago when I was a college student fascinated by Oliver Sacks.

The tour of our mental landscape is presented in very short chapters that are punctuated by "Did you know?" "Practical tip" and "Myth" pullout boxes. The scientifically-accurate, up-to-date information covers details about how the brain works, while also providing a plethora of fun dinner-table conversation starters.

"Welcome to Your Brain" provides a great entry point for curious students and anyone interested in learning more about science. It's unusual to find a book that covers both the biological details as well as the science and society issues related to the brain.

So if you are curious why you can't tickle yourself, what the Dalai Lama thinks about reaching enlightenment through "artificial" means like drugs or surgery, and how brain function is related to prejudice, you'll want to check out "Welcome to Your Brain."

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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Demystifing a complex subject with humor and real insight, April 5, 2008
As a sufferer of Parkinson's disease, one of many Neurological diseases suffered today by millions world wide, I found this book both interesting and informative. It is written with real knowledge -as confirmed by my Neurologist, and with humor and just a little smugness at their debunking many of the myths we have held near and dear.
It is at once informative and interesting and really easy to read. It certainly exceeded my expectation. I have recommended it to many people from my Neurologist and other health professionals, to my fellow Parkinson's sufferers and other interested people.
Unfortunately I still can not remember where I put my car keys, and according to my kids, I have also forgotten how to drive.
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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Dispelling myths about the brain, March 20, 2008
By M. Feller (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This book by two neuroscientists is an outstanding, fun and smart introductory guide to the function of the brain . They explain how the brain does all sorts of cool things for us (what makes you a morning person vs. a late-night person, how your brain complicates trying to lose weight). The books also explains the origin of common myths (do you really only use 10% of your brain? can a knock the head restore memories?) and whether they are true (in these cases, they are not). The great and unusual thing about this book is that they do this based on real neurobiology but they make it accessible to all adults, no matter their educational background.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good basic overview
This book presents a good, basic overview of the human brain, including its major structures, how it processes stimuli from our five senses and its basic chemistry. Read more
Published 1 month ago by B. McEwan

1.0 out of 5 stars junk mail
Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday LifeThis book was not written by experts. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Kay Holbrook

5.0 out of 5 stars A little dry but interesting
Written like a high school text book, this book is a bit dry but is still interesting. It gives a basic overview of how the brain works and is great for non-scientists interested... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Julie Bayon

3.0 out of 5 stars Great idea, but disappointing
After hearing an interview with the authors of this book on NPR, I couldn't wait to read it. I always have questions about how and why different things in the brain are the way... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Logan Dillard

3.0 out of 5 stars Informative
Some fun and interesting facts. A little dry at times but Ive quoted from this book and shared with a few friends so apparently I enjoyed it!
Published 6 months ago by Nicole

4.0 out of 5 stars Welcome to this Book
I bought this book because one of the authors conducted the Princeton Consortium Presidential Poll. I was so amazed by Sam Wang's thoroughness and accuracy that I figured I owed... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Jason Gansauer

5.0 out of 5 stars A User Manual for the Brain
The aim of this review is to provide potential readers with an insightful synopsis of Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang's "Welcome to Your Brain. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Alysia M. Rudis

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful introduction to Neuroscience for the average Joe/Jane
Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life

This book explained so much in a way that is easily... Read more
Published 10 months ago by D. Sandfort

1.0 out of 5 stars boring
This book is rather boring.
I was not able to read through it so far.
I keep falling into sleep while reading it. Read more
Published 11 months ago by andy

1.0 out of 5 stars overly simplified and nothing new
Although neuroscience is expanding rapidly with new knowledge and amazing insights, this book gives only a superficial understanding, including a few interesting facts but nothing... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Max Marie Mcintosh

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Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life

The word of the day is:  ATTENTION.   When we learn how to drive, we pay close attention, because the goal is important.  We practice over and over until the actions, responses and movement are stored in our brain, readily accessible.  It becomes ...

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA;  Edition: 1;  Author: Sandra Aamodt, Sam Wang; ...

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Created on Oct 28, 2008, last edited on Oct 28, 2008.

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