Genre: some might call it "Self-Help" but I refuse to apply that title to books due to the negative associations it musters. I refer to this book as "Psychology, Neuroscience, and Lifestyle."
I'm no medical expert, not to mention neuroscience, so I put a lot of stock in books written by MDs. The Brain that Changes itself is a sometimes fascinating, sometimes over my head analysis of "Brain Science" history chocked full of great tidbits for the average person. I'm a bit of a non-fiction nut, so if you share that passion this book will be right up your alley.
At times I skimmed through 20-40 pages that, while peaking my interest, didn't really offer much in the way of insight. Other times I couldn't put down my pen, taking notes on how to keep my brain young, how to overcome addictions and bad habits, and other extremely useful golden nuggets. I try to find the golden nuggets that I can add to my mental library from every book, so if you're patient and an adept speed-reader I highly recommend this book.
Golden Nuggets:
- "To keep the mind alive requires learning something truly new with intense focus." p.88
- "The more we have, the more socially and physically active we are, and the more we participate in mentally stimulating activities, the less likely we are to get Alzheimer's disease or dementia...Those [activities] that involve genuine concentration - studying a musical instrument, playing board games, reading, [studying a foreign language], and dance - are associated with a lower risk of dementia." p.254
- "Television watching, one of the signature activities of our culture, correlates with brain problems...For every hour of TV the toddlers watched each day, their chances of developing serious attentional difficulties at age seven increased 10%." p.307
Please do yourself a favor, put down the TV remote and pick up this book. As you age it may save your life.
Rating: 4.5 bookmarks (out of 5)
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