Neuroscience Books

“A rigorous, in-depth guide to the history, philosophy, and scientific exploration of this widespread emotional state . . . [LeDoux] offers a magisterial review of the role of mind and brain in the generation of unconscious defense responses and consciously expressed anxiety. . . . [His] charming personal asides give an impression of having a conversation with a world expert.”...

"Read this book to connect with your highest self.” —Susan Cain, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet and Quiet “We need more awe in our lives, and Dacher Keltner has written the definitive book on where to find it.” —Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again “Awe is awesome in both senses: a superb...

What is morality? Where does it come from? And why do most of us heed its call most of the time? In Braintrust, neurophilosophy pioneer Patricia Churchland argues that morality originates in the biology of the brain. She describes the "neurobiological platform of bonding" that, modified by evolutionary pressures and cultural values, has led to human styles of moral behavior....

We all have an inner voice in our head, one that we talk to and that talks to us. That voice can act as a coach or—all too often—a critic. Through fascinating real-world stories and a look into neuroscience and psychology, Ethan Cross explores the many facets of our inner voice, and highlights the tools you can use to transform...

Offers possible neurological explanations for the behaviors commonly demonstrated by zombies in popular culture, mixing tongue-in-cheek satire with serious explorations of how the brain works according to current neuroscience.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES and LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER “Brilliant… riveting, scary, cogent, and cleverly argued.”—Beth Macy, author of Dopesick As heard on Fresh Air This book is about pleasure. It’s also about pain. Most important, it’s about how to find the delicate balance between the two, and why now more than ever finding balance is essential. We’re living in...

"For millennia, we have viewed thinking and feeling as fundamentally opposed processes. According to this persistent, age-old belief, to truly live well we must marshal our logical and rational capacities to master our emotions. This perceived dichotomy lies at the heart of our historical pursuits in theology, philosophy, and psychology. But extraordinary advances in psychology and neuroscience, including neuroimaging and...

Navigation skills are easy to take for granted, but the ability to find our way is a key to humanity's evolutionary success. Sharing illustrative stories of the lost and found, Michael Bond explores the science of our mental maps and their vital relationship with imagination, memory, abstract thinking, and other cognitive functions.

For centuries, scientists have argued that there are inherent differences between male and female brains, which accounts for their different roles in society. That’s not true, argues Gina Rippon in Gender and Our Brains. She makes the case that much of that research suffers from bias; researchers confirmed what they already “knew” to be true. Instead, she believes, our brains are gendered...

Often, we think of our conscious thoughts as the major players in our brains. But in Incognito, neuroscientist David Eagleman makes the case that our conscious minds are out of the loop in most of what we do. Our instincts, our desires, our motor functions—many of the things we think, feel, and accomplish happen in neural sub-routines outside our conscious control....

The BrainHQ exercises are based on the scientific principle of brain plasticity—that the brain continually changes itself in response to stimuli, for better or for worse. In Livewired, neuroscientist and best-selling author David Eagleman explores and celebrates the brain’s natural plasticity, in a work that celebrated author Khaled Hosseini describes as “chockfull or mind bending ideas and dazzling insights.” How...

How much do our expectations shape our experience? According to Chris Berdik, the way our brains obsessively focus on unknown future outcomes can have huge effects on reality and perception, and it can work for you or against you. Berdik delves into neuroscience, history, anecdote, and psychology to seek answers to how and why expectations affect us—and how we can...