Buy new:
-15% £9.39
£8.78 delivery Thursday, 26 December
Dispatches from: Amazon
Sold by: Amazon
£9.39 with 15 percent savings
RRP: £10.99
£8.78 delivery Thursday, 26 December. Details
Or fastest delivery Thursday, 19 December. Order within 17 hrs 23 mins. Details
In stock
££9.39 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
££9.39
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Delivery cost, delivery date and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Dispatches from
Amazon
Dispatches from
Amazon
Sold by
Amazon
Sold by
Amazon
Returns
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
For the 2024 holiday season, this item if purchased between November 1 and December 25, 2024 can be returned until January 31, 2025 or within 30 days from receipt (whichever is later).
Read full Amazon return policy
Returns
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
For the 2024 holiday season, this item if purchased between November 1 and December 25, 2024 can be returned until January 31, 2025 or within 30 days from receipt (whichever is later).
Read full Amazon return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
£9.06
£8.78 delivery Thursday, 26 December. Order within 9 hrs 8 mins. Details
Only 1 left in stock.
££9.39 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
££9.39
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Delivery cost, delivery date and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain Paperback – 21 Mar. 2019

by Sarah-Jayne Blakemore (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 571 ratings
See all formats and editions
on any 4 Qualifying items | Terms
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"£9.39","priceAmount":9.39,"currencySymbol":"£","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"39","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"pTDHjHtB79P6UHo%2BI50WZOPuVP5P0QJWooPCNbSVFgbSk8PINV%2B4qjlRvQ1j0BMmfAgJ8iUY2kZ28eKZP6QY2VxB95XmY4t4IMVHB95F5HAjom%2Fwxr5KHyu9vTKO3o56","locale":"en-GB","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"£9.06","priceAmount":9.06,"currencySymbol":"£","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"06","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"pTDHjHtB79P6UHo%2BI50WZOPuVP5P0QJWpHxD7hTxKfteMGFhcdAmT%2B9tgpWsCWPT83Z2l98WfIHUDtckUqK35jM6B2HYYy%2F3bqWkbI4mzRvt7lGuI3PL8nct6vEnvdPSaVbA6s8O8jWQo%2FLhsXh43Lv%2FRVZ6u1nn4c50y7gaQLNSxXCNwaTzQg%3D%3D","locale":"en-GB","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Winner of the 2020 British Psychological Society Popular Science Prize
Winner of the 2018 Royal Society Science Book Prize.
........................................................................................
Up to the minute brain science from a world class scientist. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore explains how the adolescent brain transforms as it develops and shapes the adults we become. 'Beautifully written with clarity, expertise and honesty about the most important subject for all of us. I couldn't put it down.' - Professor Robert Winston

Drawing upon her cutting-edge research Professor Blakemore explores:
· What makes the adolescent brain different?
· Why does an easy child become a challenging teenager?
· What drives the excessive risk-taking and the need for intense friendships common to teenagers?
· Why it is that many mental illnesses - depression, addiction, schizophrenia - begin during these formative years.
And she shows that while adolescence is a period of vulnerability, it is also a time of enormous creativity and opportunity.

Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Black Swan
  4. Publication date
    21 Mar. 2019
  5. Dimensions
    12.7 x 1.6 x 19.8 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    1784161349
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1784161347
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details

Frequently bought together

Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain
This item: Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain
£9.39
In stock
Sent from and sold by Amazon.
+
Blame My Brain: the Amazing Teenage Brain Revealed (2023 updated edition)
£8.07
In stock
Sent from and sold by Amazon.
+
Brainstorm: the power and purpose of the teenage brain
£11.98
In stock
Sent from and sold by Amazon.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your basket.
Details
Added to Basket
spCSRF_Treatment
Choose items to buy together.
Popular highlights in this book
What are Popular highlights?
Previous page
  1. During adolescence, your sense of who you are – your moral and political beliefs, your music and fashion tastes, what social group you associate with – undergoes profound change. During adolescence, we are inventing ourselves.
    Highlighted by 206 Kindle readers
  2. When in the presence of their friends, adolescents took almost three times as many risks as when they were alone, and young adults took nearly twice as many risks. In adults, the presence of peers had no impact on risk-taking.
    Highlighted by 196 Kindle readers
  3. In other words, it seems to be the case that adolescents are hypersensitive to social exclusion.
    Highlighted by 188 Kindle readers
Next page

Product description

Review

The best science writing helps us to look at ourselves and our world in new ways, and does this by combining compelling storytelling with scientific depth and detail. This book not only has all of these qualities, but also has something to offer every reader - whether you are a teenager, parent of a teenager, or just interested in understanding your former teenage self. -- Professor Brian Cox

Completely captivating ... Blakemore explains the science behind teenage behaviour in a lucid and engaging way, deconstructs the myths that surround it, offers new insight into how we should treat teenagers, and reflects on how our new knowledge might usefully influence policy decisions. …This is truly a book that everyone should read. -- Professor Dame Frances Ashcroft, chair of Royal Society Prize judges and professor of physiology at Oxford

Absolutely fascinating -- Louise Minchin ― BBC Breakfast Published On: 2018-10-02

An engaging and interesting book, written comprehensibly for a non-specialist audience. You will understand your children and your former selves better for reading it and you will bust a few myths as you go. ― The Times Published On: 2018-03-10

There are few people more qualified to explain [adolescence] than the author of this compelling book. What I enjoyed most about this book was the readability and personal style of the narrative. Blakemore manages to present a highly accessible account of the science, without ever compromising on detail or depth…there is almost a sense that the reader is in the lab, listening in on the discussions and taking part in the decisions….This book has something to offer everyone … Blakemore provides a unique and very up-to-date insight into the changes that occur during this intriguing period. -- Dr Catherine Loveday ― The Psychologist Published On: 2018-03-29

Refreshingly and reassuringly light and lucid in both tone and approach ...an enjoyable, accessible, and insightful book by an author at the top of her field. ― The Lancet Published On: 2018-04-14

A very readable book bringing together the up-to-date research about how the adolescent brain develops. This matters to both adolescents and parents but also should be read by everyone who looks after adolescents, be they teachers, doctors or psychologists. -- Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health

Inventing Ourselves is a gripping celebration of the teenage brain. Essential reading for parents, teachers and teens.
Sane, wise, myth busting, this book is a triumph and should be read by every parent and teacher but they should be warned. They’ll have to fight their teenagers to get this gripping book out of their hands.

-- Dr Vivienne Parry OBE

The teenage brain is different, but in what way? This beautifully written book tells just how it influences and is influenced by the new challenging demands of a transformational phase of life. There is no sensationalism here. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore is a pioneer in the field and provides a meticulous account of what we know. -- Professors Uta & Chris Frith

Inventing Ourselves is an accessible introduction both
to neuroscience and experimental psychology, covering
basic research techniques while providing an overview of
recent studies of adolescence that will be of interest even
to someone familiar with these fields. This balance is in
large part due to the author’s ability to explain nuanced
experiments with an infectious enthusiasm that engages
the reader’s curiosity. Blakemore approaches the topic with
a sympathy and respect for the adolescents she works with
that is genuinely admirable. For anyone looking back on
their teenage years, trying to raise a teenager, or working
with adolescents, this book can help foster understanding
about why adolescents act the way they do and how we
become our adult selves.

-- Robert Stirrups ― Lancet Neurology Published On: 2018-03-21

About the Author

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore is Professor in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. She has published over 180 papers in scientific journals, and won multiple major awards for her research, including the British Psychological Society Spearman Medal 2006, the Turin Young Mind & Brain Prize 2013, the Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award 2013 and the Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize 2015. She was named in The Times Young Female Power List 2014 and was one of only four scientists on the Sunday Times 100 Makers of the 21st Century 2014. She is a Fellow of the British Academy. Professor Blakemore has two sons and lives in Hertfordshire. Inventing Ourselves is her first solo book and is the winner of the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2018.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Swan (21 Mar. 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1784161349
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1784161347
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.7 x 1.6 x 19.8 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 571 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore is Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, UK, and leader of the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Group.

Blakemore has published over 200 scientific papers, and won several international awards for her research. She was named in The Times Young Female Power List and was one of only four scientists on the Sunday Times 100 Makers of the 21st Century. She is an honorary Fellow of St John’s College, Oxford, and a Fellow of the British Academy, the American Association of Psychological Science, the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society.

Inventing Ourselves was awarded the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2018 and the British Psychological Society Book Prize 2020.

Blakemore’s TED talk has been viewed over 4 million times.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
571 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book fascinating and enjoyable to read. They appreciate the insights it provides about the teenage brain and neuroscience development. The writing style is clear and easy to understand, making it an accessible and engaging read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityInsightAccessibilityWriting style
24 customers mention ‘Readability’24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and accessible. They describe it as a useful resource for anyone working with adolescents, providing an overview of current research in a concise manner. Readers appreciate the exploration of how young people's self-understanding develops.

"...Professor Blakemore does not. On the contrary, she is an excellent, effective and fascinating communicator of the important research she does...." Read more

"...I strongly recommend this excellent book." Read more

"A useful explanation of the research so far in one handy book that is easy and quick to read...." Read more

"Absolutely fascinating read and beautifully written." Read more

19 customers mention ‘Insight’19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides insightful information about the teenage brain. They appreciate the clear explanation of neuroscience development and how it works. The book offers a fresh perspective on early life development by turning attention to adolescence. It is useful for parents and teachers, and written by a leading researcher.

"...This book is written by a leading researcher that bases all her arguments on the most rigorous and well-controlled research whilst communicating the..." Read more

"...Along the way it provides you with an evidence base from which to understand how adolescence is a critical developmental stage in understanding who..." Read more

"A useful explanation of the research so far in one handy book that is easy and quick to read...." Read more

"...clever person who has studied the brain minutely and is fascinated by the scientific aspects - she writes well and includes diagrams and..." Read more

10 customers mention ‘Accessibility’10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They appreciate the real-world style and language used. The book covers academic rigour in an accessible way.

"...The book is so accessible that you just have to be curious about the brain - especially the adolescent brain - and you will definitely enjoy it...." Read more

"A useful explanation of the research so far in one handy book that is easy and quick to read...." Read more

"...The book is very accessible and therefore more impactful. I would definitely recommend it." Read more

"...view of adolescence, but written in a way that is understandable for lay readers like interested parents or teachers...." Read more

10 customers mention ‘Writing style’10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's writing style. They find it well-written and informative, providing clear details about neuroscience developments.

"...She uses this accessible writing style in her book to help explain her findings and the significance as well as the relevance of her research...." Read more

"...Inventing Ourselves' is elegantly written and contains insight after insight about the teenage brain...." Read more

"Absolutely fascinating read and beautifully written." Read more

"...brain minutely and is fascinated by the scientific aspects - she writes well and includes diagrams and illustrations to back up her statements, and..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

Victor K
5.0 out of 5 stars Leading London scientist giving a captivating insight into the adolescence brain and just how important it is to understand it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 March 2018
Verified Purchase
In the process of reading this book now! I'm really enjoying it so far and I'm sure I will until the end. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, who is a prominent UCL researcher and the principal investigator of the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Group focuses on the development of social cognition and decision-making in adolescence. She has well over 200 publications in leading scientific publications including the Nature Reviews, The Lancet and Trends in Cognitive Sciences, has won many awards and regularly speaks at conferences. So she knows her stuff. Sometimes, knowing your area is not enough though if you want your research to be appreciated by a bigger group of people. Some prominent researchers lack the skill of communicating their research to the general public. Professor Blakemore does not. On the contrary, she is an excellent, effective and fascinating communicator of the important research she does. She uses this accessible writing style in her book to help explain her findings and the significance as well as the relevance of her research. Although many of us know that childhood is a sensitive period of development, less is known among the general public about the importance of adolescence for shaping the thing that defines our personality, characteristics and preferences - our brain. Sarah-Jayne tells what exactly happens to our brains during a critical period of development, adolescence. This book takes a fresh perspective on the importance of early life development by turning our attention to adolescence, and away from childhood (though the latter is nonetheless important but not the focus of the book). One question that is interesting for any parent or anyone that has young family members is how and why can mental illnesses such as depression, addiction, schizophrenia, develop during this critical stage. This book is written by a leading researcher that bases all her arguments on the most rigorous and well-controlled research whilst communicating the findings in a relevant, fascinating and captivating way. Being respected and loved by all her colleagues at UCL in London and researchers around the world, Sarah-Jayne has a likeable personality that really shines through. It makes us feel like we are in a conversation with her and she is sitting down over a pleasant, satisfying medium-sized latte at Costa Coffee with an almond croissant and she is telling us all about these super cool findings and their significance and you are captivated and want to keep on listening. Learning has never been so pleasant and fun :)
21 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Dr Tim O'Brien
5.0 out of 5 stars An accessible, optimistic and illuminating book.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 January 2019
Verified Purchase
Sarah-Jayne Blakemore has written a book that deserves to be the winner of the Royal Society Award.

'Inventing Ourselves' is elegantly written and contains insight after insight about the teenage brain. The author avoids the pitfall of making the book too 'academic' and has clearly considered the audience that she is communicating with. Sometimes books like this can be dry [and even appear to be written solely for other academics] but this is not the case here. This is a book that is very easy to engage with as a reader. You do not have to be a neuroscientist or an academic to understand the content. The book is so accessible that you just have to be curious about the brain - especially the adolescent brain - and you will definitely enjoy it. The author occasionally adds a personal touch by referencing her own context as a child, as a student and as a professor. I really like this aspect of 'Inventing Ourselves'. it invites you into the life narrative of the author and adds a welcome dimension to the book.

'Inventing Ourselves' will help you to understand why adolescents think and behave the way they do. Along the way it provides you with an evidence base from which to understand how adolescence is a critical developmental stage in understanding who we are as individuals and as social beings. I strongly recommend this excellent book.
17 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Inge
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, and easy to read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 January 2019
Verified Purchase
A useful explanation of the research so far in one handy book that is easy and quick to read. As a teacher and parent of teenagers, I found this very useful in identifying possible reasons as to how teaching, learning and parenting strategies work or don't work. It has certainly encouraged me to read deeper into this subject.
Although I have recommend this book to my colleagues, I did so with the warning that there are many personal anecdotes that become a little too distracting.
9 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Louise Innes
5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyable and fascinating!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 February 2024
Verified Purchase
Absolutely fascinating read and beautifully written.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Book fiend
3.0 out of 5 stars A bit heavy going unless you really want to study the brain!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2018
Verified Purchase
I'm honestly not sure that I learned anything new about the teenage mind from this book - there are a lot of postulated theories that can't be completely confirmed because you can't exactly experiment with the live brain. The author is clearly a very clever person who has studied the brain minutely and is fascinated by the scientific aspects - she writes well and includes diagrams and illustrations to back up her statements, and some of it is so technical that, as a layman, I was bored and simply didn't want to read it. If you have teenagers, you will already know how they behave and can make a pretty shrewd guess as to why and where they are coming from - the author's children are not yet teenagers but I am sure she is looking forward to testing out her theories!
I'm sure this is a worthy tome, but it wasn't for me...
13 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
J. Lettington
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging, accesible and fascinating.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 December 2021
Verified Purchase
A comprehensive overview of research in adolescent brain development woven together with personal and witty anecdotes makes this my favourite psychology book this year!
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
katherine
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 November 2019
Verified Purchase
An excellent book. I am a psychologist with some knowledge in this area. I bought it to help me feel less frustrated with my son who is clearly changing as he approaches the teenage years. The book is very accessible and therefore more impactful. I would definitely recommend it.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Penny Doctor
4.0 out of 5 stars Targeted more at adults than teens
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 January 2019
Verified Purchase
Good content but personal anecdotes a little overdone, as well as the initial use of family connection background. Useful to parents and teachers!
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Bill R
5.0 out of 5 stars Great audio version. Read with precision .
Reviewed in the United States on 12 February 2021
Verified Purchase
The British accent does wonders for listening and accents the text beautifully, The book is a wonder of writing and explaining science in a unique way from the point of view of an self-inquisitive autistic mind. It's worth both a listen and a read.
Report
Michael Hawkins
2.0 out of 5 stars False advertising
Reviewed in Germany on 29 November 2021
Verified Purchase
I stopped reading halfway through as it was more about the brain per se rather than that of the teenage brain and I was only reading it in order to possibly discover something about my daughter as she enters that tumultuous period of life. Chatting to any random person met on the street would have taught me more.
Report
AJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in Canada on 31 July 2020
Verified Purchase
As a teacher and mother of teens, I seek out info about the teenage brain regularly. This is a scientific book with information that was new to me.
Report
Cliente de Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy interesante
Reviewed in Mexico on 27 November 2018
Verified Purchase
Me ha gustado la forma de escribir de la autora; lo recomendaría a personas que tengan trato directo con adolescentes de manera frecuente, maestros especialmente.
Report
James Chelliah
5.0 out of 5 stars good read
Reviewed in India on 7 August 2018
Verified Purchase
A great read! A must-read for anyone interested in the brain. It is well written for those who are not in neuroscience.
Report