|  | Author: John J. Ratey
Creator: Eric Hagerman
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $12.70
as of 11/22/2009 23:39 CST details
You Save: $12.29 (49%)
New (47) Used (21) from $12.65
Seller: a1books
Rating:  76 reviews
Sales Rank: 712
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 304
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 5.8 x 1.3
ISBN: 0316113506
Dewey Decimal Number: 612.76
EAN: 9780316113502
ASIN: 0316113506
Publication Date: January 10, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new item. Over 6 million customers served. Order now. Selling online since 1995. Few left in stock - order soon. Code: H20090805220934T
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 16-20 of 76
 The Science of Common Sense March 3, 2009
Jeffrey Toce (Seattle, WA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
We all know exercise is good for you, but all too often we put that knowledge in the back of our minds and forget it. Dr. Ratey makes a very compelling argument in "Spark" why exercise is so important in treating anxiety, depression, ADHD, addiction, etc. and gives you the scientific studies to back it up. It's an entertaining, yet informative narrative full of case studies of his actual patients. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an alternative to our pill-popping culture.
Spark Improvements in Your Life! February 22, 2009
school-library-cari (Lubbock, TX United States)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Did you know that physical exercise builds and conditions your brain? Do you think of exercise as something you should do? What if you were inspired to exercise? You might be, after reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, a book which thoroughly explains the scientific connections between exercise and brain functions.
The "spark" in the title refers to the fact that exercise sparks physical changes that encourage brain cell connections, strengthening the cellular machinery of learning. For example, at a public school in Chicago, students schedule their most difficult subject immediately after physical education class, because of the beneficial effects of exercise on learning. Using scientific studies, statistics from public schools, and evidence from the author's psychiatric practice, Spark explains how exercise improves brain function in these areas: cognition, stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, addiction, women's health, and aging. This book can be a help for parents seeking remedies other than medication for any of these issues.
This is not a self-help book filled with fluff and feel-good platitudes. You can use the principles in this book to help your children be better prepared for learning with improved mood, focus, and motivation. Adult brains are also flexible, and parents, as we model lifelong learning, can also strengthen our brains with these same principles.
Exercise is the key to mental health and happiness! February 4, 2009
Will Wright (Sarasota, FL)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book has confirmed a lot of intuitive judgment I have had over my career as a pharmacist, dispensing a variety of anti-depressants and mood stabilizer medications. Dr. Ratey clearly shows how people who have incorporated a regular exercise program into their life have little need for such medications - their brain and body is producing all the right substances in all the right proportions, naturally. This book should be required for all professional educators, all phys. ed. teachers and 100% of everyone involved in student athletics, all principals and school administrators, and all parents. That's not hype - this book will become the benchmark that changes how America looks at education & exercise, and how important it is for optimal brain functioning. If you suffer from depression, anxiety, addictive disorders, ADHD, this book can be your pathway for getting healthy and quite possibly off of medications all together. I ordered another copy to give to my son's school teachers.
Great information, very inspiring January 31, 2009
Markus Lofstrom (Seattle, WA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This was a fascinating read and really makes you understand the impact of exercise on the brain, learning, depression, ADD, etc.
 Sloppy fact checking lowers credibility January 31, 2009
Wilmette Gal (Near Chicago)
17 out of 29 found this review helpful
Facts that could easily be checked via google are incorrect, for instance, New Trier High School is not in Evanston as the author states. He also botches most of the details of N.T.'s physical education program. It's hard to accept his big theories, when he has the small details wrong. He also states that a "radiation study" wasn't published because the results weren't as expected. Huh? Research is rejected by peer-reviewed journals because the study is poorly constructed or flawed, but not because of new or different results. That's what scientists and publications are looking for!
The basic premise has allure -- exercise and all will be better -- but the execution and writing need polishing.
Showing reviews 16-20 of 76
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