Phantoms in the Brain is an engaging exploration of neuroscience, blending general knowledge, patient case studies, and the author's scientific speculations. The book is entertaining and educational, offering experiments readers can try at home, but it falls short of the depth and richness found in Oliver Sacks' works.
Phantoms in the Brain by V.S. Ramachandran and Sandra Blakeslee is a fascinating dive into the mysteries of the human mind. The book combines general neuroscience knowledge with intriguing patient case studies and the authors' scientific speculations. Ramachandran's enthusiasm for science shines through, and he includes fun experiments that readers can try at home. The case studies, both from literature and personal experience, add a humanizing touch, showing respect and tenderness towards the patients. However, the book occasionally feels derivative and precocious, with a tone that can be off-putting. The writing style is not particularly noteworthy, and when the book delves into philosophical territory, it becomes clunky and dull. Overall, while Phantoms in the Brain is enjoyable and interesting, it doesn't match the depth and richness of Oliver Sacks' works. It's a good read for laymen interested in neuroscience but falls short of being a definitive work in the field.
Quick quotes
First, you can decapitate your friends and enemies, using your natural blind spot.
I enjoyed reading the speculations, because it was fun to see how a doctor-scientist’s brain worked.
This is definitely a fun and interesting book, and I think it will appeal to many laymen (like myself) simply because it talks about our brains and gives many demonstrations we can try out ourselves.