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|  | Author: Norman Doidge
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
List Price: $16.00
Buy New: $8.90
as of 11/24/2009 17:25 CST details
You Save: $7.10 (44%)
New (34) Used (22) from $8.90
Seller: OB1S
Rating:  170 reviews
Sales Rank: 627
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1 Reprint
Pages: 448
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.4 x 1
ISBN: 0143113100
Dewey Decimal Number: 612.8
EAN: 9780143113102
ASIN: 0143113100
Publication Date: December 18, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New Book direct from the publisher. Ships immediately from New York. Please allow up to 15 days for delivery. Returns accepted. Satisfaction guarantee.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 11-15 of 170
 The Brain that Changes itself review October 1, 2009
Jessica M. Zeineh
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this book after reading the first few pages. I was hooked. I'm a believer in human abilities and the potential for growth beyond what we perceive. This book goes on the idea that human brain potential is relatively so vast that our capabilities to heal and grow are still unknown. The brain is such a complex machine. Its a miracle. The book has a lot of clinical data and detail into the individual studies performed, so if you like detail, you'll like this book. It also has areas that discuss and speculate on potential and it really makes you sit back and think... WE CAN DO ANYTHING. I loved it.
 Mostly Good, But Read With Care September 30, 2009
K. Buitron (CO, USA)
The Brain that changes itself is about brain plasticity, or the brain's ability to adapt and change in the face of adversity...for the most part. The book has its flaws (see "the bad", and "the ugly") but the full range of damage and injury that is covered in this book makes it a must read. I believe that everyone will will encounter someone in their lifetime with at least one of these injuries and understanding what this book teaches will help us understand the situation and treatment options much more completely. Because of the flaws, I think this is a good read as long as you take the time to think about the text and draw connections between the chapters.
The Good:
Most of the chapters in this book are devoted to striking and impressive examples of brains overcoming damage caused from genetic learning disabilities, acquired injuries, cancer, and strokes. Norman Doidge for the most part does an admirable job of showing how all sorts of diseases and injuries that were considered incurable are now curable with a variety of different treatment methods developed by a serious of very interesting and intelligent people.
Also, to me, the most interesting section was in the appendix that explained about not only the plasticity of the brain but plasticity associated with culture and physical changes (and how that related to the brain), I would love to see a whole book on the subject.
The Bad:
There is some serious problem with organization. For some reason, he throws the chapter "Acquiring Tastes and Loves" in the middle of the book. It is a chapter devoted to more subtle forms of brain plasticity and how it relates to love and fetishes...nothing to do with any of the exciting stuff like caner or any of that (I actually never finished the chapter because it interrupted the book so much). I think this chapter and a different chapter "Turning our ghosts into ancestors" belongs in a different section of the book that specifically relates brain plasticity to more normal psychological conditions and explains how psychotherapy can be beneficial in aiding these less radical changes (I am pretty sure that is the point he wants to make).
Also, (A more personal peeve) I think he missed out on a great opportunity to talk about those few baffling people that appear to have virtually no brain just a bunch of cerebrospinal fluid in their skulls and yet lead reasonably normal lives. He could have speculated on the density of the brain cells or even the potential for other nerve cells to take over brain function. Or just left it as a medical marvel and indicated that there is yet more to learn about brain plasticity. (I am aware of the doubts regarding this info, but he could have easily addressed all the issues and opened our minds up to the possibilities of even more plastic change)
The Ugly:
He is very opinionated and really loves some of these scientists paying them far more attention in the text than other equally impressive scientists. He does tend to take a more permissive view on animal experimentation, so if that bothers you, get the book from your library (I borrowed it from a friend), it's still worth reading for the information on techniques for overcoming disadvantages.
There were several places where he made implied contradictions; they could be easy to miss since the contradicting sentences are at the beginning and the end of the book. Also, I think he missed out on some great places to tie things together for the reader and perhaps smooth over the contradictions.
The Brain That Changes Itself September 27, 2009
K. Kole Leary (Seattle, WA United States)
Every educator, every parent of a child with challenges, every child of a parent with Alzheimer's, every doctor, psychologist, therapist, . . . well, I guess Everyone . . . needs to read this book. It has amazing information and examples and actual therapy ideas that can help people thought to be stuck with a less-than-acceptable quality of life. The Brain That Changes Itself gives me hope for my post brain tumor daughter that I haven't had since the doctors told us what late effects to expect if the surgery and treatment worked to save her life. Buy it. Check it out. Read it.
Most fascinating book I've read in years August 26, 2009
Lewis K. Cullen (Orange Beach AL USA)
I have waited until I finished this book before commenting. Those who have resigned themselves to thinking nothing can be done when a part of a loved one's brain is damaged and has been deemed incurable can restore their hope for a better outcome.
This book is written well and can be enjoyed by those without a medical degree or background. Approximately 66% through the Kindle Edition, discussions of the sources of material and other comments on each chapter are made and complete the book. At first, I thought these were just repetitive reading; not true. More recent developments and newer instances are included.
If you have the slightest interest in what the brain's capabilities are, this book is for you. I highly recommend it.
Changing Brains, new hope August 23, 2009
Elizabeth A. Clark
This book, reviewing research findings that revolutionize how we think about our brains and the possibilities for maintaining brainpower if we have injury and as we age, is amazing and provides much hope for our future. Now, if only medical science and practice can keep up, helping to implement treatment programs that build on these wonderful new (and often not so new, just overlooked)findings.
Showing reviews 11-15 of 170
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