If you think a lot about your brain and why it acts like it does,  I’ve discovered a wonderful book.  Welcome to Your Brain, by Ph.D. neuroscientists Sandra A. Aamodt and Sam Wang tells all sorts of stories and dispels lots of myths. Published in 2008,  it’s  filled with clear and easy-to-read information about the human brain, its form, and its functions.

Yesterday in my post I wrote about senior moments, and Welcome to Your Brain provides answers to my questions as well as lots of brain background and trivia. The information is helpful for aging children who are not only thinking and worrying about their own brains, but also worrying about the brains of their aging parents. In fact the book is a reassuring resource for aging parents to read, especially if they are worrying about dementia.

With a chatty style and catchy chapter titles such as “Can You Trust Your Brain,” “What’s It Like in There: Personality,” and “Is the Brain Still Evolving?” the book is a fast read. IN fact, once started it’s hard to put down. Strategies are offered for getting your brain to do what you want, including the best explanation I have ever read about the brain’s role in maintaining weight and how to deal with it. Each chapter has sidebars written to answer specific or sometimes tangential questions.

The Welcome to Your Brain website has links to reviews, including Oprah and National Public Radio, as well as additional  information about the authors.  Below I’ve embedded a YouTube video of the authors’ presenting at Google. The video lasts for just under an hour.