The Brain That Changes Itself post #3

The Brain That Changes Itself was easy to read because the author writing it loved the subject so much. He was plainly writing it for interest in the subject rather than money. In each chapter he uses sources he went see, famous scientists, chemists, inventors and victims of brain malfunctions. When he describes them, he goes into intimate details, like their height, how big the family is, what led them to the field of research they are in, just quirky little details that lets you know he's paying attention to these people and he really has an interest in them and what they have to say. Here's an example about Pual Bach-y-Rita who he says is "one of the great pioneers in understanding brain plasticity." he says, Bach-y-Rita is a completely unassuming man. He is partial to five-dollar suits and wear salvation army clothes whenever his wife let's him get away with it. He drives a rusty twelve-year-old car, his wife a new Passat. He has a full head of thick wavy grey hair, speaks softly and rapidly, has the darkish skin of a Mediterranean man of Spanish and Jewish ancestry, and appears a lot younger than his sixty-nine years." Doesn't he seem friendly and wonderful? Doidge does this to ALL of the people he talks about, he really seems to care about them. Especially the patients he visited during his research, when they become better he is ecstatic! It's touching and a joy to read when the author cares about his work and the people touched by the subject.

The Brain That Changes Itself post #2

Mr. Norman Doidge, is a talented writer. He captured my interest from the first page. Not the preface though, that was boring but the legit first page. The opening paragraph said "Cheryl Schiltz feels like she's perpetually falling. And because she feels like she's falling, she falls." Then went on to describe how Cheryl came to feel like she was perpetually falling and what the human brain had to do with it. It was all very interesting, who knew a person could feel like the were forever falling? That's astounding and terrifying. However due to new studies in brain plasticity problem with the Vestibular Apparatus can be fix. The vestibular Apparatus is the sensory organ for the human balance system. Apparently balance is one of the human senses like sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste.
Doidge held my interest with such stories. Most made me want to cry, people go through very strange and terrible things that exist without our knowing. For example the symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Autism alone vary immensely. Though therapy and practice can lessen affects felt those with the disorders. The human brain, unknown till this century has the ability to reorganize itself and can repair massive defects and damage. And Doidge explains this quite well, with lots a medical lingo. No harm done though, he uses the lingo in a way a layman can sort of get it. It's brilliantly done and I applaud him. Non-fiction is hard to read, especially non fiction you feel smart while reading unlike Bill Bryson's nonfiction works. That when I read, I feel like I want to be smart and am not. Ew.

The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge

Question: Why this book was picked? How did the book impact me?

(Are we supposed to write our questions were answering as given by the Independent reading helpful hints page? It says "design your own question and answer it"..?)

The book is non-fiction, legit non-fiction. So legit, that I had to look up medical jargon about every page. It was a pain in the behind, but when I choose the book, I understood that I would have to. I bought The Brain That Changes Itself because I was intrigued by the subject and decided I NEEDED it. I wanted to understand how the human memory worked, because during the month of January, I felt like I was forgetting things, and I didn't have the mental capacity I used to. That may sound stupid but it was freaking me out. So, as I browsed the Barnes and Noble bookshelves for interesting non-fiction books, it captured my eye and highlighted concerns with a quick scan of the pages and chapter titles. Yes, I know, I have a "buy on a whim" problem, but so what? The "buy on a whim method" has given me some of my favorite books. For example; Ella Enchanted, The Uglies, The Charlie Bone series, all Beverly Cleary books starting with the "on a whim purchase” of Mouse on a Motorcycle. That woman is amazing! I do miss my childhood books.

ANYWAYS, I picked The Brain That Changes Itself because I'm a nut! How ever, it was a great pick, though a difficult read. I found it hard to get through, because of the advance science/medical language made it impossible for me to zoom through as usual. The book forced me to think, visualize and predict. The true stories in The Brain That Changes Itself, found while Norman Doidge during his research were inspirational and mind-blowing. The Brain can recover from more damage than I'd ever imagined, naturally, with a bit a resolve, and practice the human brain can re-wire and heal itself to almost normal functions. Needless to say this book slowly blew my mind. By the end I forgot my own brain "anxieties" and began to wonder how this could advance society and what people I knew who could use this help. Isn't it ironic/funny that I "forgot" the fact I was forgetting things? Because it's almost midnight and tomorrow is opening night of Hamlet, I'm very amused!