Whether the speakers in Kate Monica's poems are confessing secrets or longing for the moon or Facebook chatting with someone's grandfather or getting addicted to sports documentaries, Nervous Universe is at once surprising, strange, and poignant, and I couldn't stop reading once I'd started. "I like to do self-portraits," Monica writes, "but they're poems / but they're self portraits / but they're of strangers." - Chelsea Hodson, Pity the Animal
The brain ... There is no other part of the human anatomy that is so intriguing. How does it develop and function and why does it sometimes, tragically, degenerate? The answers are complex. In Discovering the Brain, science writer Sandra Ackerman cuts through the complexity to bring this vital topic to the public. The 1990s were declared the "Decade of the Brain" by former President Bush, and the neuroscience community responded with a host of new investigations and conferences. Discovering the Brain is based on the Institute of Medicine conference, Decade of the Brain: Frontiers in Neuroscience and Brain Research. Discovering the Brain is a "field guide" to the brainâ€"an easy-to-read discussion of the brain's physical structure and where functions such as language and music appreciation lie. Ackerman examines: How electrical and chemical signals are conveyed in the brain. The mechanisms by which we see, hear, think, and pay attentionâ€"and how a "gut feeling" actually originates in the brain. Learning and memory retention, including parallels to computer memory and what they might tell us about our own mental capacity. Development of the brain throughout the life span, with a look at the aging brain. Ackerman provides an enlightening chapter on the connection between the brain's physical condition and various mental disorders and notes what progress can realistically be made toward the prevention and treatment of stroke and other ailments. Finally, she explores the potential for major advances during the "Decade of the Brain," with a look at medical imaging techniquesâ€"what various technologies can and cannot tell usâ€"and how the public and private sectors can contribute to continued advances in neuroscience. This highly readable volume will provide the public and policymakersâ€"and many scientists as wellâ€"with a helpful guide to understanding the many discoveries that are sure to be announced throughout the "Decade of the Brain."
The acclaimed author of Einstein’s Dreams tackles "big questions like the origin of the universe and the nature of consciousness ... in an entertaining and easily digestible way” (Wall Street Journal) with a collection of meditative essays on the possibilities—and impossibilities—of nothingness and infinity, and how our place in the cosmos falls somewhere in between. Can space be divided into smaller and smaller units, ad infinitum? Does space extend to larger and larger regions, on and on to infinity? Is consciousness reducible to the material brain and its neurons? What was the origin of life, and can biologists create life from scratch in the lab? Physicist and novelist Alan Lightman, whom The Washington Post has called “the poet laureate of science writers,” explores these questions and more—from the anatomy of a smile to the capriciousness of memory to the specialness of life in the universe to what came before the Big Bang. Probable Impossibilities is a deeply engaged consideration of what we know of the universe, of life and the mind, and of things vastly larger and smaller than ourselves.
These essays demonstrate the sweeping influence of the human nervous system on the rise of literature and sensibility in early modern Europe. The brain and nerves have usually been treated as narrow topics within the history of science and medicine. Now George Rousseau, an international authority on the relations of literature and medicine, demonstrates why a broader context is necessary. The nervous system was a crucial factor in the rise of recent civilization. More than any other body part, it holds the key to understanding how far back the strains and stresses of modern life - fatigue, depression, mental illness - extend.
The bestselling author of E=mc2 weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through an account of the invisible force that permeates our universe—electricity—and introduces us to the virtuoso scientists who plumbed its secrets. For centuries, electricity was seen as little more than a curious property of certain substances that sparked when rubbed. Then, in the 1790s, Alessandro Volta began the scientific investigation that ignited an explosion of knowledge and invention. The force that once seemed inconsequential was revealed to be responsible for everything from the structure of the atom to the functioning of our brains. In harnessing its power, we have created a world of wonders—complete with roller coasters and radar, computer networks and psychopharmaceuticals. In Electric Universe, the great discoverers come to life in all their brilliance and idiosyncrasy, including the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system, and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York City on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality. From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery.
The Game of Life by Timothy Leary is a motivational book that invites readers to approach life as an exciting and transformative game. Leary encourages readers to embrace their inner power and take an active role in shaping their destiny. Through thought-provoking insights and practical exercises, the book aims to inspire personal growth, self-discovery, and a greater sense of fulfillment. Key Aspects of The Game of Life: Mindset Transformation: Leary emphasizes the power of mindset and invites readers to challenge their beliefs and perceptions. He encourages a shift from a limited and rigid mindset to an expansive and open one. By cultivating a mindset of possibility, readers can overcome obstacles, tap into their potential, and create a more fulfilling life. Self-Exploration and Personal Development: The book encourages readers to embark on a journey of self-exploration and personal development. Leary provides exercises and techniques for self-reflection, introspection, and expanding consciousness. Through these practices, readers can gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their desires, and their purpose, enabling them to make intentional choices and live a life aligned with their values.Empowerment and Self-Authorship: Leary emphasizes the importance of taking personal responsibility and becoming the authors of our own lives. He encourages readers to harness their inner power, make conscious choices, and embrace their unique authenticity. By taking ownership of their lives, readers can create meaningful experiences, navigate challenges, and manifest their desired outcomes. The Game of Life serves as a guidebook for individuals seeking personal growth, self-discovery, and a more fulfilling life. Leary's insights and exercises empower readers to shift their mindset, explore their inner landscape, and embrace their personal power. By approaching life as a game, readers can tap into their innate creativity, resilience, and resourcefulness to create a life that reflects their true potential and aspirations. Timothy Leary: Timothy Leary, an American psychologist and writer, is known for his advocacy of psychedelic drugs and his involvement in the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Born in 1920, Leary conducted controversial experiments with psychedelic substances, exploring their potential for expanding consciousness and promoting personal growth. He popularized the phrase Turn on, tune in, drop out, advocating for the exploration of altered states of consciousness as a means of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. Leary's provocative ideas and his challenge to conventional norms continue to influence discussions on drug policy, consciousness, and human potential.
Blending Eastern and Western philosophies with insights into nature, ecology, and physiology, this exploration of the place of humankind within the universe —and our individual stations—is both intellectual and approachable. Thinkers, writers, scientists, and educators of all stripes come together to examine subjects ranging from the nature of reality to brain science to the impact of technology on our world views, and more. They reveal that "the universe" may actually be comprised of multiple "universes" that overlap like the skin of an onion; peel away one layer of reality, and there’s others waiting to be experienced, if not completely understood. The book presents intriguing ideas from visionaries ranging from Jesus to Galileo, Newton to Descartes, and Kant to Einstein, among many others.
Perilous Passage is an account of Terry Wilson's lifetime apprenticeship under the master shamanic practitioner, Brion Gysin, the hidden master of the avant-garde, of whom William Burroughs said, "He is the only man I respect." The book focuses on events as they developed just prior to and after Gysin's death in 1986 and details the extreme psychic 'Third Mind' eff ects known as 'The Process.' Perilous Passage is a cautionary tale about the uses and abuses of power, a paranoid espionage thriller that includes transcribed audio hallucinations, notes, cutups, interview format, and collaged material. Like Gysin and Burroughs, Wilson treats language itself as a parasitic invader which must be resisted, broken up and reassembled. This book is about how Gysin's magic was passed on and is being carried into the future.
