a VERY SHORT TOUR of the MIND

21 short walks around the human brain

MICHAEL C. CORBALLIS

with 5 black-and-white illustrations

Why do we remember faces but not names? If your brain were cut in half would you suffer more than a splitting headache? Why don’t sheep laugh or gorillas lie? Why does your dog remember where it buried its bone, but you can’t ever find your keys?

In A Very Short Tour of the Mind, cognitive psychologist Michael C. Corballis tackles these questions and more, showing why the human mind is arguably the most complex organ in the universe. Modern computers might be faster, and whales might have larger brains, but neither can match the sheer intellect or capacity for creativity that we humans enjoy. Corballis introduces us to what we’ve learned about the intricacies of the human brain over the last fifty years. Leading us through behavioral experiments and neuroscience, cognitive theory and Darwinian evolution with his trademark wit and wisdom, Corballis punctures a few hot-air balloons (“You only use ten percent of your brain!”; “Unleash the creativity of your right brain!”) and explains just what we know—and don’t know—about our own minds.

At one time or another, we’ve all wanted to get inside someone else’s head. This smart and engaging book shows you how.