The Amazing Brain

by Robert Ornstein, Richard F. Thompson, David Macauley (Illustrator)

A visual, informative, and comprehensible study of the construction, evolution, and chemical and electrical operation of the human brain

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Neuroscience, Biology, Psychology

182 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Psychologist Robert Ornstein's wide-ranging and multidisciplinary work has won him awards from more than a dozen organizations, including the American Psychological Association and UNESCO. His pioneering research on the bilateral specialization of the brain has done much to advance our understanding of how we think.

He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from City University of New York in 1964 and his Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University in 1968. His doctoral thesis won the American Institutes for Research Creative Talent Award and was published immediately as a book, On the Experience of Time.

Since then he has written or co-written more than twenty other books on the nature of the human mind and brain and their relationship to thought, health and individual and social consciousness, which have sold over six million copies and been translated into a dozen other languages. His textbooks have been used in more than 20,000 university classes.

Dr. Ornstein has taught at the University of California Medical Center and Stanford University, and he has lectured at more than 200 colleges and universities in the U.S. and overseas. He is the president and founder of the Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge (ISHK), an educational nonprofit dedicated to bringing important discoveries concerning human nature to the general public.

Among his many honors and awards are the UNESCO award for Best Contribution to Psychology and the American Psychological Foundation Media Award "for increasing the public understanding of psychology."

Reviews

[Elaine]

The Amazing Brain is an excellent introduction to the immensely complicated nervous system of a human being. This book is largely fact-based and contains all kinds of information, which may seem very boring, but the author has made all of this extremely interesting. The explanation given is easy to understand and easy to read.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably somewhat dated by now but I remember it as a really good introduction to some of the fascinating elements about the brain. Good for someone interested in the brain but who doesn't have a lot of background training in the field.

[Minhan Dinh-Mahavongtrakul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received this book as a graduation gift before attending graduate school - one of my favorite reads, and definitely a great resource for describing neurobiology to a wide audience.

[Liam Paddock · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want learn about the brain while also being entertained and mesmerised by the amazing artwork of David Macaulay then this is a great book for you.

[Miles Tiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feeding, fleeing, fighting, and….

This shit slaps. Super interesting overview of brain functions and even funky detours into neuropharmacology and other pathological brain states as they relate to studying overall brain function. Super entertaining and informative for a reader who is not at all familiar with da brain.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated a bit, of course, having been written in 1984. Has some neat visuals. Primarily meant as an introduction for readers who really aren't very familiar with science or brain biology.

[Jimmyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reference, great read!