Mozart's Brain and the Fighter Pilot
Unleashing Your Brain's Potential
1 of 1 copy available
Everything we think and everything we choose to do alters our brain and fundamentally changes who we are, a process that continues until the end of our lives. Few people think of the brain as being susceptible to change in its actual structure, but in fact we can preselect the kind of brain we will have by continually exposing ourselves to rich and varied life experiences. Unlike other organs that eventually wear out with repeated and sustained use, the brain actually improves the more we challenge it.
Most of us incorporate some kind of physical exercise into our daily lives. We do this to improve our bodies and health and generally make us feel better. Why not do the same for the brain? The more we exercise it, the better it performs and the better we feel. Think of Restak as a personal trainer for your brain—he will help you assess your mental strengths and weaknesses, and his entertaining book will set you to thinking about the world and the people around you in a new light, providing you with improved and varied skills and capabilities. From interacting with colleagues to recognizing your own psychological makeup, from understanding the way you see something to why you’re looking at it in the first place, from explaining the cause of panic attacks to warding off performance anxiety, this book will tell you the whys and hows of the brain’s workings.
Packed with practical advice and fascinating examples drawn from history, literature, and science, Mozart’s Brain and the Fighter Pilot provides twenty-eight informative and realistic steps that we can all take to improve our brainpower.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
May 14, 2002 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780307933232
- File size: 175252 KB
- Duration: 06:05:06
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Written and read by neuropsychiatrist Richard Restak, this audiobook is divided into 28 digital chapters (for easy navigation) corresponding to the 28 strategies that Restak suggests will make the listener smarter. Included in his suggestions are cognitive techniques--ways to think about the brain, neurophysics, and thought processes ("learn about your brain's motor programs and how to use them," and "apply your knowledge about the human brain to organize your ideas")--as well as practical techniques and exercises such as brain-teasers, memorization, listening to music, and participation in physical sports. The ascription that Restak is "a personal trainer for your brain" is an overstatement. His suggestions are often difficult to perform, and many of his ideas don't lend themselves to practical application. Restak presents the material in clear, even tones, but his voice is neither strong nor dynamic enough to make him a "personal trainer." Interesting ideas, but there's no guarantee they will transform the listener into a fighter pilot, let alone Mozart. S.E.S. 2003 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine -
Restak is a practicing neurologist who wants to "enhance your brain's natural biological predispositions in order to enhance your ability to concentrate." In light of recent evidence that vigorous brain exercise retards the effects of the dementias, listeners are exposed to a wide variety of cerebral exercises to constantly form new synapses and maintain established ones. We move from verbal descriptions of Tai Chi for the cerebellum, to examples of brain-twisting memory exercises for the cortex, and are taught the method of calculating the optimum time for brain rest (short power naps) during stressful work. The doctor combines neuroanatomy lessons with lots of advice. His delivery is professional and persuasive. J.A.H. 2003 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
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