The Human Brain Book: An Illustrated Guide to its Structure, Function, and Disorders (DK Human Body Guides)

Is it OK to get excited over a book about the brain? :) When I ordered "The Human Brain Book" I assumed it was just an updated version of one of my favorite illustrated "brain books"---Rita Carter's expertly executed survey of the human brain titled "Mapping the Mind." I would have been happy with an updated version of "Mapping the Mind" that reflected recent brain research. When it arrived I was pleasantly surprised to see that Ms. Carter had collaborated with DK, the creator of amazingly well photographed and illustrated educational books to produce one of the most visually informative books on the brain I have ever seen. The paragraph-sized entries and highly visual content of "The Human Brain Book" make it accessible to a wider age range than "Mapping the Mind"--which explores select topics on the brain with fewer illustrations but article-length commentary and depth. Brain regions are made memorable by explaining the region with engaging examples of the types of behaviors, senses, emotions, cognitive, or other functions associated with that the area of the brain. The large format and variety of photograph and image sizes reminded me of the wonderful Time Life Science series books that were popular a few decades ago. But so much better. "The Human Brain Book" is a delight to browse--it's the kind of book that you can open to any page and find something engaging to explore. And then there is the pleasant surprise of the interactive DVD-ROM . . . Rita Carter and DK can be proud of creating an exceptional book. At less than $30, this is one the best values I have found on Amazon in a long time.

I have been studying the brain for many years and this is by far the best book on the subject. Not only does it cover every aspect of the brain's structures, disorders, function, & development, it is very easy to read. It is not dense and is a great resource for a novice on the subject. It is clear and concise with wonderful, large pictures, computer models, and actual MRI images to illustrate brain anatomy and function. The images are large and wonderful for learning brain anatomy. In addition, it covers every aspect of the brain from anatomy, terminology, brain evolution & comparison with brains of other animals & hominids, consciousness, memory, the senses, emotions, instincts & drives such as sex, morality, language, thinking, cognition, diseases, disorders, aging, and personality. The CD ROM is an amazing resource for any student or professional. The interactive guides are wonderful to study by. It is the perfect text to have as a reference guide or to read to obtain a basic framework of the brain. It is just as wonderful for someone like myself who is already very familiar with the brain. I was very surprised to look back and see that it was only $25. Take it from someone who has dished out well over $100 for books on anatomy, the brain, and the central nervous system- it is a steal. If you are a student planning to enter either the medical, psychological, or scientific professions, THIS IS A MUST! If you are already in the medical, psychological, or scientific field, THIS IS A MUST if not to learn by then to have on one's shelf for quick reference.

Anything that has been produced by this publishing company is something that I trust implicitly. This volume was no exception. Indeed, the information presented within is so well organized that my Housemate, who is a medical student, used it to study for one of her exams in neurology. The text is clear, the illustrations are absolutely superb. Dorling Kindersley is to be commended for the quality of all they produce.

I read a LOT and am always looking for great finds on the cheap. This book was recommended to me by a medical doctor. So...I ordered this book from Amazon.com and it is incredible. Not only is it instructional, but the colored illustrations and layouts are outstanding. It is not a lightweight book but is very detailed in its style. The chapters higlight functions of the brain like thinking, memory, development and aging, disease and disorders, movement and control, glossary, etc. It has photos, slides as well as color coded schematics to help the reader know all about this unique structure that makes us human. It also comes with a DVD of the book to fill in some of the printed word. Definitely a keeper for everyone. Something to put up there along with your PDR's, medical symptoms books and your medical atlas. However with all the colored photos, slides and artwork, I can see it also as coffee table book. Do Not Pass this one up!

This review will assess the effectiveness and quality of Rita Carter's "The Human Brain Book" in describing the anatomy and function of the human brain. The book is a very illustrated introduction to the world of neuroscience. The book also included a DVD disk, but that component will not be included in this review. Overall, the book does an excellent job of presenting detailed information in an easy to understand and digest way. The illustrations are wonderful tools in understanding the complex material, though the text does not get into the level of detail that it could. One must keep in mind that this is a cursory look at the whole system, how it works, what it does, what happens when things go wrong or don't function correctly, etc. To truly understand the mechanisms of the brain and all the interactions that occur, the reader would need to look for a textbook or research on the topic. I gave the book a rating of four stars because it easily and effectively accomplishes its goal of introducing users to the material, but it does pass over some important information and makes a few statements that are questionable considering current research. The book is broken up into chapters that start with general information about the brain and body, moves to anatomy of the brain, then discusses the senses and how the brain interacts with the environment. Next, it covers the more abstract topics such as memory, thinking, and consciousness. The final couple of chapters involve development and diseases of the brain. This progression makes sense from the reader's perspective because it first teaches the general information that is necessary for understanding the later material. For instance, one should know basic neuroanatomy to really grasp the effects of diseases and disorders of the brain. The strengths: "The Human Brain Book" contains hundreds of spectacular illustrations that really do help convey the information in a more concise and understandable way. For readers who learn more from visual sources, this is a perfect resource for getting basic familiarity with the human brain. Some of the illustrations used could even be referred to in order to understand more complicated material than what is presented. The organization of the book is also a key strength. I never felt as though I was getting lost, because all prerequisite information to understand a topic had already been presented by the time I got to it. The seamless flow and logical progression make this book a quick, easy, and informative read (though the large pictures certainly don't hurt). The book also presents many interesting bits of trivia that, while not crucial to the topic, is an interesting aside. For example, in the "Intelligence" chapter, the book associates intelligence with the brain's ability to process and information accurately and efficiently. Later on the page, a box addresses the topic of "Why We Can't Do Two Things At Once", which states that the brain can only process one source of information at a time and must switch between tasks, thus creating a "processing gap". This is just one of the many examples of how the book integrates interesting bits of information and trivia that might answer those questions that people have always wondered about. The weaknesses: This book is not a good resource if you are looking for a lot of information, or detailed information on any one topic in neuroscience. It is perfect for beginners and those looking to get a very general understanding of how things work, but it is certainly not meant for anything beyond that, due to several errors in the diagrams as well as the surface level of detail it achieves. I don't see this book being on the shelf of a neurologist's bookcase. If you need specific information, your best bet would be to bypass this book and go straight for a textbook. I say that because, while this book accomplishes its purpose very well, that is a very limited purpose and should not be used beyond that introductory level. It seems as if the book attempts to analyze the findings of the most recent research and present those results and limited conclusions as they fit into our current understanding of the mechanisms of the brain. Way too much emphasis is put on some of these findings as they are experimental and may not stand. The field of neuroscience is always changing and it is not uncommon at all for the results of one study or experiment to be completely contrary to those of another. In reading this book, one must really keep that in mind because some of these theories and ideas are presented as facts. It is an issue mostly in the central chapters exploring concepts such as consciousness, sleep, perception, etc. Because of these claims, we may find that several pieces of information in the book are obsolete in a few years time. Especially at an introductory level, I would caution the reader to take such statements into consideration, but don't view everything as undeniable fact. The final issue with the book is that it seems to turn away from the methodical and scientific way it presents information in earlier sections and becomes more speculative and more of a commentary towards the more abstract sections. There is a lot of time spent speculating and explaining how the brain may be a factor in current social issues. For example, the section on handedness presents only statistics and hypotheses around the origins of the preferences of right or left hand. Because no hard evidence is presented and because this section really doesn't make any points that haven't been made elsewhere, I feel that it could be taken out. This is just one example of several that give the book the feeling of being longer than necessary and containing information that isn't terribly relevant. So in conclusion, "The Human Brain Book" did a wonderful job of presenting a lot of complicated information in an easy to follow and easy to remember way. Though there were a few issues, they were minute compared with the benefit that could be derived from giving this book a read. I would strongly encourage anybody seeking to learn about the brain, what it is, how it works, what it does, etc. to give this book a try.

My daughter whom is a grow woman loved the book

The Human Brain by Rita Carter looks into the brain, literally. I read this book because I wanted to understand at least how the brain is supposed to work, and the different sections of brain, because mine is dysfunctional, and not working right due to trauma and emotional affects. This book gives a lot of information about brain and how it related to the body, and what parts of the brain affect other parts. I learned a lot about dreaming, and how the brain puts the dreams together, as some can be remembered, and some can't. It discusses a lot of information, gives examples and has magnificent graphics. I wanted a book that wasn't filled with medical jargon, I wanted a book that was clear, and even though there are so many things about the brain that is a mystery, I will keep this book with me forever, and when I'm gone, someone can study my brain. Not to sound morbid, and to me, it's not. I have a bit more information about myself, and learned a lot from this book. There is a part of me that needs to know the science, as the other part of me, tries to figure out how to go on, day to day. I learned a lot about this book, and I recommend it for anyone who has issues that start and maybe end with the brain, and want to know more about yourself.

This book is amazing for anyone who wants to learn about the brain. Color pictures on every page. Easy to read and understand . I had brain surgery last year. This answers so many questions and explains so much. I still have half the tumor left, so the pictures are helpful to look at after hearing my case explained by my surgeon And i got the book for under $20 ,it is hard bound and so much color! It costs less than a fast food drive thru order and you’ll keep it for a lifetime.

Present for hubbie, he thinks it is an amazing book

Great book with lots of illustrations that give you - together with the explanations - a deep inside into what makes us ticking.

This beautifully presented book is packed with excellent anatomical pictures alongside easy to digest facts, making a complex subject accessible and interesting....which encourages deeper study.

Excelente livro e entrega antes do prazo. Fiquei muito feliz com essa aquisição. Livro de capa dura, conforme anunciado e veio em perfeitas condições, lacrado. Recomendo com certeza!

In some ways I preferred a volume entitled Psychobiology (Scientific American) I owned in the 1970s because it demonstrated a wider range of experimental outcomes on the brain. Second to that, however, is this. It is beautifully illustrated, and very broad. It is repetitive, which is pedagogically quite good, but I think the space could have been better used to address further issues, such as how the dentrites and axons work together, and some issues that have appeared in the last 24 months in National Geographic. Extensively illustrated. The book inspires the reader to pursue a further interest in neuroscience.