Unthinkable: An Extraordinary Journey Through the World's Strangest Brains by Helen ThomsonIMAGINE . . . getting lost in a one-room flat; seeing auras; never
forgetting a moment; a permanent orchestra in your head; turning into a
tiger; life as an out-of-body experience; feeling other people's pain;
being convinced you are dead; becoming a different person overnight.
Our
brains are far stranger than we think. We take it for granted that we
can remember, feel emotion, navigate, empathise and understand the world
around us, but how would our lives change if these abilities were
dramatically enhanced - or disappeared overnight?
Award-winning
science writer Helen Thomson has spent years travelling the world
tracking down incredibly rare brain disorders. In Unthinkable she tells
the stories of nine extraordinary people. From the man who thinks he's a
tiger to the doctor who feels the pain of others just by looking at
them, their experiences illustrate how the brain can shape our lives in
unexpected and, in some cases, brilliant and alarming ways.
Delving
into the rich histories of these conditions, exploring the very latest
research and cutting-edge medical techniques, Thomson explains the
workings of our consciousness, our emotions, our creativity and even the
mechanisms that allow us to understand our own existence.
Story
by remarkable story, Unthinkable takes us on an unforgettable journey
through the human brain. Discover how to forge memories that never
disappear, how to grow an alien limb and how to make better decisions.
Learn how to hallucinate and how to make yourself happier in a split
second. Find out how to avoid getting lost, how to see more of your
reality, even how exactly you can confirm you are alive. Think the
unthinkable.
