At least for me, a large portion of my upbringing in anatomy, physiology, and psychology at University lead me to the conclusion that different areas of the brain are hardwired for different things and that from there on out it is pretty much just simon says. Because I knew little about the plasticity of the brain, or much of the notion that this is how the brain worked I think the book really got me around seeing a different side of what a marvelous organ the brain truly is and how complex and intricate the connections are. I have worked extensively with a wide variety of Alzheimers and Dementia care patients, so I am not really surprised by the novelty of things the human mind may be able to come up with so much as the authors explanation for how these connections can be made/rewired. I have to say, that I think the book is geared somewhat to people like myself, or who were brought up with a similar mindset about the way the brain functions and you can tell from early on the author is really trying to get the reader to see that the brain has plastic aspects and can readily adapt to a wide variety of circumstances. I like his message of perseverance in a number of areas from stroke victims to autistic individuals, where new treatment incorporating mind set and using mind exercises to overcome difficult and devastating physical problems is a good one. I think that we underestimated what we are sometimes capable of in terms of recovery, and what pathways can be laid down even later in life. Overall I though there was a lot of really interesting stories provided and good content on the subject.