Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman (Nonfiction)

Ever wondered why consciously thinking about breathing causes you to run out of breath? Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman explains this, and more. Eagleman, a neuroscientist, spelunks (explores)  the depths of the subconscious to explain phenomena that no one would have noticed, including why you have a “gut feeling” about certain decisions and why people whose names begin with J are more likely to marry others whose names also begin with J.

"One thing I admire about this book is that it has a similar narrative structure to Freakonomics, by Levitt and Dubner. Like Freakonomics, Eagleman takes case studies and uses them to explain larger phenomena, an excellent method of organization. For example, when explaining why former Supreme Court Justice William Douglas denied that he was paralyzed due to a stroke (when he clearly was in a wheelchair), he cites case studies of other people in similar situations before attributing it to anosognosia, a condition where people are unaware of any disability they might have. Eagleman’s in-depth explanation and clear writing makes this book an excellent and engaging read. I would certainly recommend this to anyone who liked Freakonomics, has an interest in the brain, or both.

Reviewed by Nitin S., Grade 12