Stranger in the Mirror

The Scientific Search for the Self

By: Robert Levine

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Paperback | 7 February 2019 | Edition Number 1

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288 Pages

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2.2 x 15.8 x 23.1

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Who are we? Where is the boundary between us and everything else? Are we all multiple personalities? And how can we control who we become?

From distinguished psychologist Robert Levine comes this provocative and entertaining scientific exploration of the most personal and important of all landscapes: the physical and psychological entity we call our self.

Using a combination of case studies and cutting-edge research in psychology, biology, neuroscience, virtual reality and many other fields, Levine challenges cherished beliefs about the unity and stability of the self - but also suggests that we are more capable of change than we know.

Transformation, Levine shows, is the human condition at virtually every level. Physically, our cells are unrecognizable from one moment to the next. Cognitively, our self-perceptions are equally changeable: A single glitch can make us lose track of a body part or our entire body, or to confuse our very self with that of another person. Psychologically, we switch back and forth like quicksilver between incongruent, sometimes adversarial sub-selves. Socially, we appear to be little more than an ever-changing troupe of actors. And, culturally, the boundaries of the self vary wildly around the world - from the confines of one's body to an entire village.

The self, in short, is a fiction: vague, arbitrary, and utterly intangible. But it is also interminably fluid. And this unleashes a world of potential.

Engaging, informative, and ultimately liberating, Stranger in the Mirror will change forever how you think about your self - and what you might become.

About the Author

Author Robert Levine is an internationally known music and travel writer whose work has appeared in dozens of publications. He was the co-editor of Records' Classical Pulse! Magazine, helped launch and was the Senior Editor-in-chief of Andante.com, a world wide web site devoted to every aspect of classical music and musicians. He attends his operas and symphonies in New York.

Industry Reviews

"[Robert Levine] offers an intriguing set of examples of how frequently we experience multiple identities without recognizing them as such. . . . Out of these varied examples, Levine creates an engaging tapestry that illustrates how, often, what we think of as our fixed identity is an illusion. A provocative and convincing case of the malleability of what we think of as 'our self, which in reality is a multiplicity of characters' developed through time and circumstances." Kirkus Reviews

"Robert Levine's exhilarating journey in his classic A Geography of Time is amplified and nuanced in his new enchanting search for multiplexivity of the self. Witty, wise and wonderfully entertaining reading from its opening challenging paradox to its inspiring closing. It is surely a "must read" now selection." Philip G. Zimbardo, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and author of The Lucifer Effect?

"In this fascinating exploration of the human self, Robert Levine--one of psychology's great writers-blends mind-bending case stories (a la Oliver Sacks) with the insights of psychological science. Read this and prepare to have your self-understanding challenged and expanded." David G. Myers, Hope College and coauthor of Psychology, 11th Edition

"Combining solid research with charming anecdotes, Levine has provided us with a wise, witty, and provocative analysis of the many selves we each walk around with but often fail to understand." Elliot Aronson, author of The Social Animal and coauthor of Mistakes Were Made (but Not by Me)

"From page one, Robert Levine opens a fascinating and thoroughly engaging window on scientific research on the self. His recounting of the science is state of the art while being spellbindingly human. Time and again, I wanted to shout 'yes, that's it!' I found this a deeply enriching and remarkably real book." Harry Reis, University of Rochester

"Stranger in the Mirror is the most engaging book I have encountered in a long time. The content is thoroughly delicious and Robert Levine writes with compelling clarity." David Dunning, University of Michigan

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