Industry Reviews
"An intriguing scientific thriller that, like all good thrillers, weaves multiple plots....The parallel telling of clinical and scientific tales at its best breathes life, personality and clinical relevance into the neuroscience."--Nature Neuroscience
"Black probes the horror of brain disease, scrutinizing the cellular dynamics that trigger it and surveying the therapies used to combat it. But the scientific analysis of synaptic failure does not obscure the human pathos: a poignant account of one man's descent into the Alzheimer's abyss serves as the narrative thread for the whole book and lends emotional resonance to Black's biochemistry."--Booklist
"Dr. Black is the ideal guide to lead us through the bewildering story behind the recent revolution in neuroscience. We are at the dawn of a new age of the brain and the central nervous system that is nothing short of miraculous. Dr. Black is an inspired physician, an inspired writer, and his book is an inspiration to us all." --Christopher Reeve
"An intriguing scientific thriller that, like all good thrillers, weaves multiple plots....The parallel telling of clinical and scientific tales at its best breathes life, personality and clinical relevance into the neuroscience."--Nature Neuroscience
"A series of vignettes presenting a fictionalized patient's struggle with Alzheimer's gives readers an emotional narrative they can grasp....Black makes no attempt to dumb down the concepts yet is always lucid and accessible."--Library Journal
"This book describes a mind that literally can grow and change as it interacts with the environment. An extremely gifted writer, Black has produced an account that should have enormous appeal."--Library Journal
"Black probes the horror of brain disease, scrutinizing the cellular dynamics that trigger it and surveying the therapies used to combat it. But the scientific analysis of synaptic failure does not obscure the human pathos: a poignant account of one man's descent into the Alzheimer's abyss serves as the narrative thread for the whole book and lends emotional resonance to Black's biochemistry."--Booklist
"Dr. Black is the ideal guide to lead us through the bewildering story behind the recent revolution in neuroscience. We are at the dawn of a new age of the brain and the central nervous system that is nothing short of miraculous. Dr. Black is an inspired physician, an inspired writer, and his book is an inspiration to us all." --Christopher Reeve
"A fascinating story, combining important science at the frontiers of human knowledge with gripping human drama, presented with skill by one of our most distinguished neuroscientists."--Steven Pinker, Peter de Florez Professor, Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Massachusettes Institute of Technology, and author of How the Mind Works and Words and Rules
"The sheer optimism of Black's book is contagious. While writing about some of the most depressing neurologic illnesses known, he inspires us with the knowledge that help is on the way. In Black's hands the brain can be changed, can be fixed. If anybody can do it, he can. I couldn't put the book down."--Michael S. Gazzaniga, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, and author of The Mind's Past
"This book describes the remarkable advances in the neurosciences in colorful and easily understandable language. How these discoveries were made is engrossingly told...[and] should make fascinating reading for the non-scientist and the scientist."--Julius Axelrod, Nobel Laureate, Scientist Emeritus, National Institutes of Health
"In an easy and informed style, neuroscientist Ira Black allows us to enter the world of cellular and molecular biology of the human brain....For anyone interested in genes and environmental interaction from a developmental perspective, this is a must read."--Michael Lewis, Director, Institute for the Study of Child Development, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and author of Altering Fate
"Ira Black examines the role that Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) plays in neuronal plasticity with extreme incisivesness and acuity....Someone like myself, hwo has been involved in the study of NGF during the entire course of my scientific career, cannot but express gratitude and admiration to the author for such an enlightening and innovative vision."--Rita Levi-Montalcini, Nobel Laureate, Director, Istituto di Neurobiologia, Rome
