Unthinkable: An Extraordinary Journey Through the World's Strangest Brains
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An Amazon Best Nonfiction Book of the Month
Indiebound Bestseller
Award-winning science writer Helen Thomson unlocks the biggest mysteries of the human brain by examining nine extraordinary cases
Our brains are far stranger than we think. We take it for granted that we can remember, feel emotion, navigate, empathise and understand the world around us, but how would our lives change if these abilities were dramatically enhanced - or disappeared overnight?
Helen Thomson has spent years travelling the world, tracking down incredibly rare brain disorders. In Unthinkable she tells the stories of nine extraordinary people she encountered along the way. From the man who thinks he's a tiger to the doctor who feels the pain of others just by looking at them to a woman who hears music that's not there, their experiences illustrate how the brain can shape our lives in unexpected and, in some cases, brilliant and alarming ways.
Story by remarkable story, Unthinkable takes us on an unforgettable journey through the human brain. Discover how to forge memories that never disappear, how to grow an alien limb and how to make better decisions. Learn how to hallucinate and how to make yourself happier in a split second. Find out how to avoid getting lost, how to see more of your reality, even how exactly you can confirm you are alive. Think the unthinkable.
Publisher: Ecco Press
Published: 06/26/2018
Pages: 288
Weight: 1lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.30w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9780062391162
Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2018
Publishers Weekly 03/26/2018
Library Journal 05/15/2018 pg. 75
Booklist 05/01/2018 pg. 55
BookPage 07/01/2018
Shelf Awareness 07/13/2018
About the Author
Thomson, Helen: -
Helen Thomson is a writer and consultant with New Scientist magazine and was shortlisted as Best Science Journalist in the British Journalism Awards. She has won several other awards, including media fellowships at both Harvard and MIT and the Best Newcomer in the ABSW Science Writers Awards for Britain and Ireland in 2010. She has also written for The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Daily Mail and Nature. She lives in London.