Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain is a 2011 New York Times best-selling[1] nonfiction book by American neuroscientist David Eagleman,[2] an adjunct professor at Stanford University.[3] The book explores the juxtaposition of the conscious and the unconscious mind, with Eagleman summing up the text's themes with the question: "If the conscious mind—the part you consider to be you—is just the tip of the iceberg, what is the rest doing?"[4]
 Book cover | |
| Author | David Eagleman |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Neuroscience |
| Genre | Science |
| Published | May 31, 2011, Pantheon (US), Canongate (UK) |
| Media type | Hardcover, paperback, audiobook, e-Book |
| ISBN | 0-307-37733-4 978-0307377333 |
In Incognito, Eagleman contends that most of the operations of the brain are inaccessible to awareness, such that the conscious mind "is like a stowaway on a transatlantic steam ship, taking credit for the journey without acknowledging the massive engineering underfoot."
Reception
editIncognito appeared on the New York Times best-sellers list intermittently in 2011 and 2012. It was named a Best Book of 2011 by Amazon,[5] the Boston Globe,[6] and the Houston Chronicle.[7]
The book was reviewed as "appealing and persuasive" by the Wall Street Journal[8] and "a shining example of lucid and easy-to-grasp science writing" by The Independent.[9] A starred review from Kirkus Reviews described it as "a book that will leave you looking at yourself—and the world—differently."[10]
In July 2011, Eagleman discussed Incognito with Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report.[11]
References
edit- ^ Inside the NYT Bestseller's List, New York Times Sunday Book Review, June 10, 2011
- ^ David Eagleman and the Mysteries of the Brain, The New Yorker, April 25, 2011.
- ^ Eagleman homepage at Stanford
- ^ see Incognito's mini-website (under Eagleman's official website)
- ^ Amazon.com Best Science Books of 2011
- ^ "Boston Globe: Best Books of the Year 2011". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on May 21, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- ^ "Bookish: Best Books of 2011". Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- ^ The Stranger Within, Wall Street Journal, June 15, 2011
- ^ Incognito review, The Independent, April 17, 2011
- ^ Kirkus Reviews - Incognito, April 15, 2011.
- ^ Colbert Report: David Eagleman, Aired July 21, 2011.
External links
edit- Incognito website
- David Eagleman's laboratory website
- 'Incognito': What's Hiding in the Unconscious Mind, NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, Interview with David Eagleman, May 31, 2011.