The Secret Life of the Brain

by David Grubin, David Grubin

Describes the working of the human brain at five stages of baby, child, adolescent, adult, and senior.

Genres: Science, Psychology, Neuroscience, Nonfiction

201 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2001

Reviews

[Kit]

Positives: beautiful book, quarto-sized, thick dust jacket, cloth-covered boards, glossy paper with wide margins on either side of the print, full-color pictures and illustrations throughout, and a brief index.

Negatives: not so much about the brain, as it is about the problems of the brain during marked stages of life; lots of not too subtle brand name drug endorsements and promotion; this publication was the printed companion of a television mini-series of the same name; read more like a serial of case studies than a coherent exploration of the brain; lacked a further reading section; is about 20 years out of date.

It's an easy-to-read book, written for an audience with little or no knowledge of the subject. I learned a little, but yearn for more knowledge on the brain. Look for it in a used bookstore near me.

[Joshua Nomen-Mutatio]

There's an amazing documentary series available which is a companion to this book by the same name, The Secret Life of the Brain . Both the book and documentary marked my first real grappling with the many philosophical and psychological implications of being thinking creatures with the most complex structure known to us being an orb of tangled flesh which is the seat of all mental life.

[Ashley]

I really liked this one - it was an in-depth view of the brain from conception to old age and everything in between. It hit the right balance of science - how specifically neurons are formed and work, for example - and practical applications of how that science impacts how we learn, causes brain illnesses, and how the brain can heal and re-learn. A very interesting and readable book.

[Kathe]

I actually had to read this to coach the Science portion of our Academic Decathalon, but found it really interesting. If you are wondering what happens to your brain as you grow, you'd be really interested to know all the things happening that affect you greatly at different points in your life. There really is a reason you act like you do, plus all the things that could happen at different stages of development that could mess you up.

[Ashley]

#
NC
Own in paperback.

FS: "The brain's physical construction and location contribute to its secrecy."

LS: "The brain retains many more tantalizing secrets that within our foreseeable future will continue to challenge, puzzle, and fascinate."

[Karen]

Video or book format

[Éllã Dwãl]

An excellent book that fills in a gap of my knowledge of the miracles of brian ...
Truly it's impressive piece of writing .