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The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human Audiobook
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(4.00) - 2,168 listener ratings
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V. S. Ramachandran is at the forefront of his field—so much so that Richard Dawkins dubbed him the "Marco Polo of neuroscience." Now, in a major new work, Ramachandran sets his sights on the mystery of human uniqueness. Taking us to the frontiers of neurology, he reveals what baffling and extreme case studies can teach us about normal brain function and how it evolved. Synesthesia becomes a window into the brain mechanisms that make some of us more creative than others. And autism—for which Ramachandran opens a new direction for treatment—gives us a glimpse of the aspect of being human that we understand least: self-awareness.
Ramachandran tackles the most exciting and controversial topics in neurology with a storyteller's eye for compelling case studies and a researcher's flair for new approaches to age-old questions. Tracing the strange links between neurology and behavior, this book unveils a wealth of clues into the deepest mysteries of the human brain.
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"Fascinating research by a neuroscientist about how the brain works, and sometimes doesn't work, at least not in the usual way. Autism, phantom limbs, and synesthesia are just a few of the areas discussed. The author also explains his theories on the evolution of the human brain and what it is that makes us different from other animals."
— Simmons51 (4 out of 5 stars)
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Ramachandran produces an exhilarating and at times funny text that invites discussion and experimentation.
— Kirkus
The Tell-Tale Brain Listener Reviews
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" If consciousness is a medical condition, then I guess this book can be considered a "tour" of it. This book fails to live up to its ambitious subtitle, and is terribly written to boot. I gained no real insight into "what makes us human;" all I really got out of this book are some fun anecdotes to impress people with at parties about the freaky things that can happen when you poke someone's brain. "
— Karin, 1/31/2014 -
" one of the best accounts of the nature of consciousness that i have read to date. well written, thoroughly researched and insightful. highly recommended if you are interested in consciousness and the human mind. "
— Melissa, 12/15/2013 -
" Really interesting if you've ever wondered how your brain works. Not really technical at all but does start to become redundant towards the end. So it could have been shorter for those of us that have only a passing interest in the subject but still all and all more than worth the read. "
— Ted, 11/18/2013 -
" Every time I open this book I have a "duuude" moment. As Ramachandran points out, we have come from the stone age to the space age of neuroscience in 20 years and our progress continues to be exponential. I am in constant awe of what what we know about brains and what they are capable of. "
— Kate, 10/21/2013 -
" The most boring book I ever read. Although I guess it is good if you need it for research purposes. Some topics were interesting but I found the author's attempt at humor to be not funny and inappropriate at times. Read it only if you are interested in this field for work/research purposes. "
— Histteach24, 10/10/2013 -
" Contains some great case study reports and neuro examples I'll be able to use in class. Admittedly, much of the portions on aesthetics and perception seems speculative, more "it might be this way" than "here is what the science says." As a result, I got bogged down there and struggled to finish. "
— Virginia, 7/18/2013 -
" A very good book written by a brilliant and entertaining scientist. "
— Ken, 7/17/2013 -
" Very good story of the detective work that sheds light on how our brains function. Occasionally gets bogged down in describing studies. "
— C.B., 6/29/2013 -
" Not always the most engaging, but contains some truly incredible information. Makes me excited for the future. "
— Taner, 6/10/2013 -
" I haven't read a book about the brain in years, so I may have been a soft sell for this exposition on some of the more recent advances in neuroscience. Mind-blowing! (pardon the pun!) "
— Matthew, 4/14/2013 -
" Although wildly speculative at times and often nearly repeating whole chunks from his earlier book, still manages to be compellingly thought-provoking and filled with interesting details about the brain and the way we work. "
— Robert, 9/25/2012 -
" A well-written discussion of how the brain's structures alter perception. Helps to have some medical/biological background, but isn't necessary to enjoy the book. "
— Deb, 8/5/2012 -
" most interesting book , I have read so far ... enjoying every bit of it "
— Urvi, 9/29/2011 -
" Awesome! Excellent narrative that is not too scientific, but not to simple either. VS Ramachandran has an incredible knack for taking very complex topics and relating them in a fully digestible form. "
— Cavin, 9/13/2011 -
" Superb read on the author's long-time research on how the brain works. "
— Hanafi, 8/18/2011 -
" Intriguing case studies and conclusions that broach Philosophy of Mind. "
— David, 8/11/2011 -
" This book had a lot of interesting bits, but I ended up skipping over a lot of the explanations on how parts of the brain were connected. I'm also not that into the evolution explanation of the brain. Maybe "that's the way God made it" is good enough. "
— Wendy, 5/23/2011 -
" There were lots of interesting bits to this book, but I found Ramachandran to be quite glib and full of himself. "
— Beverly, 5/19/2011 -
" A mix of brain faults with neurological explanation. "
— BLACK, 5/14/2011 -
" Really interesting if you've ever wondered how your brain works. Not really technical at all but does start to become redundant towards the end. So it could have been shorter for those of us that have only a passing interest in the subject but still all and all more than worth the read. "
— Ted, 4/7/2011 -
" Fascinating, lots of food for thought and presented in a very accessible and easy-to-read fashion without being condescending or patronising. Gentle humour and mind-blowing science. Highly recommended. "
— Delilah, 3/31/2011 -
" I will need to come back to this book. Due to many library books all coming in at once, I had to switch to another book before I could finish this one. I was very happy with this book though, and I can't wait to come back to it! "
— Candice, 3/14/2011 -
" V.S. Ramachandran takes the complex and reveals a path to comprehension. If you've ever wondered about the evolution of human brain systems which lead to our complex abilities with language, or just how the brain allows us to appreciate art - and other mysteries within ourselves, this is the book. "
— Debra, 3/10/2011 -
" Ramachandran makes what could be an impossibly difficult subject for most readers (like myself) quite entertaining and intriguing. Well done. "
— Craig, 2/27/2011
About V. S. Ramachandran
V. S. Ramachandran is the director of the Center for Brain and Cognition and a professor with the psychology department and neurosciences program at the University of California–San Diego. He is the author of A Brief Tour of Human Consciousness and coauthor, with Sandra Blakeslee, of Phantoms in the Brain. He lives in San Diego.
About David Drummond
David Drummond has made his living as an actor for over twenty-five years, appearing on stages large and small throughout the country and in Seattle, Washington, his hometown. He has narrated over thirty audiobooks, in genres ranging from current political commentary to historical nonfiction, fantasy, military, thrillers, and humor. He received an AudioFile Earphones Award for his first audiobook, Love ’Em or Lose ’Em: Getting Good People to Stay. When not narrating, he keeps busy writing plays and stories for children.