“Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain” by David Eagleman

If the conscious mind—the part we consider our “I”—is just the tip of the iceberg, what does the rest of it do in the meantime?

David Eagleman, a renowned scientist working in the field of neuroscience, ploughs the depths of the subconscious brain to cast light on surprising mysteries: why does our foot move towards the brake pedal before we perceive imminent danger? Why do we realize that someone has said our name in a conversation we’re not listening to? What do Ulysses and credit shrinkage have in common? Why did Thomas Alva Edison electrocute an elephant in 1916? Why is someone whose name starts with “J” more likely to marry someone with a name that starts with the same letter? Why is it so hard to keep a secret? And how is it possible to get angry with yourself? Who are we really angry with?

Covering topics and facts as wide-ranging as brain damage, aircraft spotting, drugs, beauty, unfaithfulness, synaesthesia, criminal law, artificial intelligence and mirages, Incognito leads us through a fascinating exploration of the mind, its contradictions and what is hidden beneath the surface.

David Eagleman (New Mexico, 1971) is a neuroscientist and professor at Stanford University. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and board member of the World Economic Forum. His book Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain has been translated into 28 languages and was chosen as Best Book of 2011 by Amazon, the Boston Globe and the Houston Chronicle. Eagleman is also the author of the essays The Brain. The Story of You and The Runaway Species.