I was always envious of my college classmates who got in the neurobiology program at UW.
It was an exclusive club, requiring top grades and hundreds of hours logged in extracurricular laboratory work. Given that the grades in my science courses were decidedly average (thank you, history major, for boosting my GPA!), there was little shot that I would get in the program. No matter how much I loved the brain.
Which, let’s face it, is a lot. As evidenced by the title of this post.
It all worked out in the end. This major *got* to take the cadaver lab (an honor typically reserved for first year medical and dental students). Just the thought of examining a dead body for weeks (weeks!) terrified me. I was happy to stick with my 8:30 science lectures, thank you very much.
My fascination by the brain never waned. If anything, it increased during my time working at SciDose. While we didn’t develop products in the neurodegenerative space (NOT for a lack of trying, but that blood-brain barrier is kind of a bitch), I did spend a chunk of my science reading time learning more about this fascinating organ.
Fascinating being an understatement. Everything, from how we study this organ to what it’s truly capable of, is mind-boggling. Pun intended.
If ‘learning more’ is on your list of resolutions (and it should be!), consider these books. Most connect the science of neurobiology with why and how we act the way and do the things we do.
Sackler Brain Bench at AMNH
One of my favorite dates from last year was taking this class at the American Museum of Natural History. Not only was it a nice change from the typical dinner or show, but it was both incredibly informative and entertaining. The only time I’ve taken such diligent notes during a lesson was the cooking class I took in Italy. Maybe this is why I had no shot at the neurobiology major…
Portraits of the Mind: Visualizing the Brain from Antiquity to the 21st Century
Dr. Schoonover was one of the lecturers during the Brain Bench class. I purchased this book the minute his lesson was over – his lecture on how we’ve studied the brain, from the Dark Ages to today, was both fascinating AND beautiful. There’s a lot of beauty in the brain’s physiology, and this book (which has made a return to our coffee table after I rearranged all of our shelves) does a superb job of both educating and inspiring the reader.
The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance, and Empower the Mind
Michio Kaku is incredibly talented at breaking down some of the most complicated topics (physics! space! Einstein!) and explaining them simply without being patronizing. He does a superb job of explaining how the brain works and the potential of our minds (think scientific rationale behind X-Men-esque superpowers). If you only read one book from this list, make it this one.
The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information
Unlike the previous two books (which focus more on the science of the brain), this book blends neuroscience, psychology, and advice. It’s a thick book, and seemingly long-winded at times. Levitin can ramble and get off topic (ironic, given the title), but the method behind his madness is only revealed once you’ve finished the book. Each chapter can be read alone, and I would recommend reading the ones that interest you most or you want to improve in yourself.
Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Customers with Neuromarketing
Granted, this book is most valuable to those working in sales and marketing, but I think there are some excellent takeaways for everyone in this book. This book is the best at blending neuroscience and human behavior succinctly. All in all, a quick and easy read that most will enjoy.
Brain Rules and Brain Rules for Baby
Brain Rules for Baby was the one of the few books I read about pregnancy/child rearing, and the one I would recommend every expectant parent to read (the other being Bringing Up Bébé). I love Medina’s writing style – it’s intelligent, approachable, and entertaining. While he has the propensity of getting deep in the science, he always brings it around to a very tangible behavioral explanation. It’s not the best book for advice (the advice largely being basic common sense), but I quite enjoyed reading the biological explanation of why we (and babies!) act the way we do.
Brains. I hope you enjoy learning about them as much as I have! If you have any articles or other ‘brainy’ reads you’ve loved, COMMENT below and share it with me!
Bonus points for working in a ‘mindful’ pun in the comment as well. (I’m done! I promise!)
