Amazon.co.uk Review
What would you say about a woman who, despite stroke-induced paralysis crippling the entire left side of her body, insists that she is whole and strong--who even sees her left hand reach out to grasp objects? Freud called it "denial"; neurologists call it "anosognosia". However it may be labelled, this phenomenon and others like it allow us peeks into other mental worlds and afford us considerable insight into our own.
The writings of Oliver Sacks and others have shown us that we can learn much about ourselves by looking closely at the deficits shown by people with neurological problems. VS Ramachandran has seen countless patients suffering from anosognosia, phantom limb pain, blindsight and other disorders, and he brings a remarkable mixture of clinical intuition and research savvy to bear on their problems. He is one of the few scientists who are able and willing to explore the personal, subjective ramifications of his work; he rehumanizes an often too-sterile field and captures the spirit of wonder so essential for true discovery. Phantoms in the Brain is equal parts medical mystery, scientific adventure, and philosophical speculation; Ramachandran's writing is smart, caring, and very, very funny.
Whether you're curious about the workings of the brain, interested in alternatives to expensive, high-tech science (much of Ramachandran's research is done with materials found around the home), or simply want a fresh perspective on the nature of human consciousness, you'll find satisfaction withPhantoms in the Brain. --Rob Lightner
Review
When it works, the combination of an expert scientist and a skilled writer to produce a book about some deep area of research is hard to beat. Phantoms in the Brain is just such a book. Ramachandran is the expert (a professor researching into how the brain works); Blakeslee is the writer (from the New York Times). Their theme is the effort to understand how the brain functions by looking at what happens when it doesn't work properly, not due to mental illness but due to physical damage to different parts of the organ. In particular, how does the nervous system create phantom impressions of things that aren't there? The science is explained with wit and verve. A superb book. (Kirkus UK)
by Vilayanur Ramachandran
by Oliver Sacks
by Susan Greenfield
by Antonio Damasio
by Elkhonon Goldberg
