April 2011 Non-Fiction Book of the Month.

This book grabs you from the first page, tumbling out facts and information in a down to earth and readable way, with a chatty humour which does not disguise the amount of knowledge that neuroscientist author David Eagleman has to offer. Many of his facts and anecdotes are grippingly interesting and I found myself re-reading several of them so that I could tell other people and impress them with my knowledge!  This is the real secret of the success of this fantastic book – it is easily broken into manageable chunks of reading so that you are not completely bogged down or overwhelmed by what must be his vastly superior intellect.  It is rare to find a brilliant scientist who has the gift of the gab and can hold an audience but this book really does do that.  For anyone interested in human nature and behavior, this book is an absolute must, a “can’t put it down” treasure store of fascinating information about our brains.

Synopsis

In this sparkling and provocative new book, renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman navigates the depths of the subconscious brain to illuminate surprising mysteries: Why can your foot move halfway to the brake pedal before you become consciously aware of danger ahead? Why do you notice when your name is mentioned in a conversation that you didn't think you were listening to? Why are people whose name begins with J more likely to marry other people whose name begins with J? Why is it so difficult to keep a secret? And how is it possible to get angry at yourself: who, exactly, is mad at whom? Taking in brain damage, plane spotting, dating, drugs, beauty, infidelity, synaesthesia, criminal law, artificial intelligence and visual illusions, Incognito is a thrilling subsurface exploration of the mind and all its contradictions.

Reviews

“A stunning exploration of the 'we' behind the 'I'. Eagleman reveals, with his typical grace and eloquence, all the neural magic tricks behind the cognitive illusion we call reality.”
Jonah Lehrer

About the Author

As an undergraduate David Eagleman majored in British and American Literature at Rice University before earning his PhD in Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine. He currently runs a neuroscience research lab where he studies time perception, synesthesia, and how neuroscience will influence the legal system. At night he writes fiction.   Author photo © Brandon Thibodeaux More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation