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 | The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (James H. Silberman Books)
Author: Norman Doidge
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Binding: Paperback
Released: 2007-12-18
Sales Rank: 279
ISBN: 0143113100
Edition: 1
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 2008-07-21 - YOU SHOULD BUY THIS BOOK!
I read the good reviews about this book with skepticism, but I still decided to buy this book, and I couldn't have made a better decision. If you have, or know anyone with any kind of head injury this book will provide inspiration, hope, and helpful suggestions for you. I already know alot about the brain from reading and talking to doctors, but i still learned alot of important information (that I wish I had known sooner) from this book. I have a traumatic brain injury from a car accident, and since I bought this book, I have been doing brain exercises because this book explained so well exactly how the brain functions and what I need to do to improve it. Ironically, even before I acquired a head injury, I have always been an avid reader of neurology, and let me tell you, this book is truly one of the most accurate, interesting, and groundbreaking books on neurology I have read. It has been a year since my car accident, and I am reaching the point where the modern view says I won't see much more improvement with my head injury, but thanks to this book, I know what exactly to do to continue to see more improvement... and I am seeing more improvement. This book has truly been a blessing for me.
2008-07-09 - cutting edge science
a must read book for those interested in the latest knowledge of how the brain functions and the stories make it fun reading.
 2008-07-07 - worth reading, with caveats
I have a general professional interest in psychology and brain science, which often leads me to be frustrated by the tendency towards reductionism and exaggeration. This book looked promising to me because the author is advertised as a psychoanalyst--something that usually does not mesh well with neuroscience. I was intrigued to see how Freud might think about modern psychology's biological determinism. On that score, I found The Brain That Changes Itself reasonably satisfying; the chapter on how neural plasticity can help us understand the impact of psychotherapy was among the best in the book. I very much appreciate the emphasis on how experience (including talk therapy) and culture, not just genes and drugs, shape the brain. That is something that is easy to miss in viewing the pretty brain scans of contemporary popular science. I also found the appendix on how culture works through neural plasticity interesting, although I don't find it helpful to define culture as Doidge seems to--something akin to cultivation and taste (a definition that leads to a problematic hierarchy of cultures based on somewhat arbitrary criteria). It is, however, important to recognize that culture and the brain have a reciprocal relationship.
My main concern with the book is that much of the argument seems to imply that the brain is infinitely malleable with the right exercises and effort. Though Doidge does note at points that plasticity is not infinite, he also seems to endorse the very American cultural script that individuals have total control over everything that happens to them. If babies are properly stimulated they will all be geniuses! If ADHD children go through the proper attentional exercises they will suddenly excel! If the elderly go to brain gyms they will never lose their memory! These, unfortunately, are primarily openings for marketers rather than scientific realities. Of course we have some control, and the key findings of neural plasticity research have been helpful in supporting that, but there are some things that are not just about effort--but also about care and community. Overall, I did find this book interesting and worth reading, but also found myself worried about what seemed to me strategic exaggeration.
2008-07-03 - A fascinating book
This book gives new hope to many people who would be left to face a very limited life. Well written and accessible to non-professionals.
 2008-07-02 - Perfect for the layman
I ordered this book on recommendation from a friend because I suffer from brain damage due to a stroke. Not only has the information made me hopeful about a possible resolution for my problems, it would be fascinating for anyone who has an interest in science and anatomy. The medical world is still in its infancy as far as understanding the way the brain works. This author uses anecdotes to convey complex concepts which makes the information accessible to the layman.
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