The Wizard of Oz always puzzled me as a child. If the scarecrow didn’t have a brain, how was he moving around and talking? How did he even know he was missing his brain? And if that doesn’t make you think, here’s another thing that puzzles me. Let’s take the example of you sitting at your computer reading this review. Obviously you have a brain, but how can you use it properly if you don’t even understand it?
Well, let’s face it. Even the most intelligent of us fail to completely understand this complex mass of tissue. However, I’d contest that it doesn’t hurt to know the basics, get a step or two above a scarecrow, you know? I highly suggest Your Brain: The Missing Manual by Matthew MacDonald. It explains how the brain operates, describes the physiology of the brain as it relates to topics such as perception and memory, and gives you tips on how to use your brain efficiently.
Matthew MacDonald has written over twelve books for O’Reilly including instruction manuals for Visual Basic 2005, Excel 2007, and Access 2007. Your Brain: The Missing Manual is his latest book, and is exactly as the title portrays — a comprehensive guide to the human brain.
Don’t freak out though. Just because it’s a book about something too complicated to understand, doesn’t mean you won’t understand the book. MacDonald’s writing style is perfect for this kind of guide. It remains educational without becoming overly technical or using unexplained jargon. And even though the book covers a broad scope of topics, MacDonald keeps it well organized and easy to follow. The book captures your attention with fun facts and interesting studies that any person could apply to their own understanding of human ability. It has great descriptions of the brain and its interconnected parts, as well as providing full color pictures and diagrams to offer a better explanation of what the author is talking about.
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