Incognito is a thrilling exploration of the mind and all its contradictions by the author of the bestselling Sum.
If the conscious mind, the part you consider you, is just the tip of the iceberg, what is the rest doing? In this provocative book, renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman navigates the depths of the subconscious brain to illuminate surprising mysteries.
Why do you notice when your name is mentioned in a conversation that you didn't think you were listening to? Why are people whose names begin with J more likely to marry other people whose names begin with J? Why is it so difficult to keep a secret? And how is it possible to get angry at yourself: who, exactly, is mad at whom?
David Eagleman is a neuroscientist and a writer. He directs the Laboratory for Perception and Action and the Initiative on Neuroscience and Law at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. He is best known for his work on time perception, synesthesia, and neurolaw. His work of fiction, Sum, became an international bestseller and is published in twenty-three languages.
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'You will learn a great deal that is fascinating from Incognito...' Canberra Times
'Incognito proposes a grand new account of the relationship between consciousness and the brain. It is full of dazzling ideas, as it is chockablock with facts and instances, but the big one is unexpected: consciousness is not all that important. Consciousness, Mr. Eagleman writes, "is the smallest player in the operations of the brain".' Observer
'An enormously fascinating look at the mind and how most of it works without us having to think about it...Neuroscientist David Eagleman plumbs the depths of the subconscious to illuminate this hidden world. And it's written in entertaining and informative English, not psychobabble.' Sunday Examiner
'There are a lot of brain books around these days, but over-achieving neuroscientist and fiction author David Eagleman's dismantling of the idea that we have much control over what we think and do is endlessly surprising and a joyful read.' Sunday Star Times (Best Books of 2011)
