Beyond the Zonules of Zinn: A Fantastic Journey Through Your Brain Paperback – March 30, 2010

This journey includes many of the people who have contributed to understanding what may .be the most mysterious system of body. I am hopeful by the time I have finished this book, I will be better prepared to deal with any issues that may arise without jumping unnecessarily to painkillers. I suspect my yoga practice will benefil.

This book was recommended on a podcast called "Brain Science" that discusses aspects of human brain physiology and function. You might expect this to be a dense, technical book but it is not -- it is very accessible while still being packed with interesting info on the brain (human and related mammals). If you are interested in this subject, this is a great book to get started with.

highly informative and not to difficult to read

Clear, comprehensive and fun, what's not to like? What a great way to get a refresher, and a new perspective on brain/spinal cord anatomy!

A fantastic exploration into the anatomy of the brain. It was still accessible to me (having never studied science at the university) but gives in depth information.

A great high-level overview of how the brain evolved and grows. The high level is actually a huge plus - the author teaches the basics without getting lost in (and distracting with) the complexity of underlying cellular mechanisms.I learned about this book listening to the Brain Science Podcast (#118). Thanks Virginia Campbell!

a great read for the non scientist

A wonderfully accessible book of brain function and structure. I have no idea how "accurate" it is from a scientific perspective, but I found it easy to follow and fun to read. Bainbridge appears to put forward the accepted current "knowledge" of the brain while simultaneously raising some of the more contested questions for readers to ponder. He briefly addresses the contentious issue of consciousness, in a very measured way, providing seven potential explanations.The book proceeds through a "geographical" tour of the brain on the premise that the brain's function can be (somewhat)explained by where in the brain the particular anatomical feature is. He starts with the brainstem and moves forward to culminate with the cortex. While he suggests that location can help us understand function, he carefully points out where this theory does not hold up.If I understand his "conclusions" accurately, current brain research suggests that it is the pattern of connections in the brain (and more specifically the association cortex) that determines how the brain functions. So, while some of the simplistic views we've all been taught about right and left brain differences and lower and higher order brain functioning is (somewhat) valid, but ultimately the brain is much more complex than that.What I would have really liked is a metaphor that could capture this perspective. My memory isn't that good. Bainbridge does touch on memory and emotion, but as any good scientist probably would do, he does not draw many conclusions in this area because of how difficult it is to "know" exactly what's going on in these areas.

Interesting book, rapid delivery, good price - thanks!

Brilliant! Clear, lively writing style - has triggered a very exciting creative journey for me!

Makes complicated ideas accessible. Don't buy his theory on the evolution of the eye but evolution's cleverer than either of us, so can't fault him for that ;)

One of the best popular science books I've read in the last 12 months and gives a wonderful tour of the anatomy and function of the human brain. It is easy to read as the author writes with a light touch, with frequent asides on his personal interests, but he achieves this without oversimplifying. He explains the complex by demystifying the fancy Latin language beloved of anatomists and step-by-step explanations. He gives the evolutionary backgrounds of many brain structures while bringing us to the forefront of modern thought by teaching us some of the real controversy where scientists are exploring alternative ideas within evolution.His simple line drawings and a single MRI scan of his own brain are the only illustrations needed to back up the text, each one providing a useful aid to visualization.Like many scientists, his forays into philosophy miss some of the nuances of the professional philosophers of mind but he doesn't go deep enough to go too far wrong; perhaps just enough to connect the philosophical issues to the science which they must take into account.I'm going to read it again.