A really interesting read about the brain and all its potential. I had been taught, like many of us, from an early age that nerves grow when you are a baby, and then stop. After that, your nerve patterns are fixed, and as the cells die you eventually fade away. That is so wrong, and this book gives many examples of the "neuroplasticity" that makes the brain so adaptive.

Brains are constantly growing and changing, and not at all like a vessel that gets filled with memories and knowledge. "To keep the brain alive requires learning something truly new with intense focus."

Like many books about the brain, it is filled with people who have suffered tragedies that damage parts of the brain. These are fascinating stories that give you good insight into how the brain works. There is a very hopeful message, because time and time again we see that the functions of the brain are not fixed, but in fact other parts of the brain can pick up the function of the damaged parts. It even appears that there is hope for replacing lost senses. Cochlear implants are no longer science fiction, and other senses appear to be partially or completely recoverable as well.

There is a really important side of this book: brains don't just happen, and people are not just a particular intelligence level. You have grow a brain, and it can be done through exercises. What is important is that children who do not get those exercises, do not in fact grow their brains. They fall behind, and never get the chance to catch up. Anyone seriously considering to be an athlete would not question the idea that you have to do basic exercises to build up the muscles. The same, it appears, is true with the brain if you want to be able to think competitively.

The book is a surprisingly easy read, especially given what might with a less skilled writer be a dense obscure topic. I found the book engaging and entertaining, the stories are personable, and the concepts explained clearly. I really enjoyed reading this very memorable book.