*Irish Bestseller*
*Telegraph bestseller*
An unforgettable book for fans of Henry Marsh and Atul Gawande about how we lose ourselves and those around us – and how we can be found again.
Who do we become when our minds misbehave? If a loved one changes as a result of a brain disorder, are they still the same person? Could a brain disorder enhance your identity rather than damage it?
From dementia and brain injury to sleep disorders, coma, and multiple personality disorder, leading neurologist and journalist Dr Jules Montague explores what remains of the person left behind when the pieces of their mind go missing. Along the way she answers fascinating questions about how we remember, think and behave. Why do some memories endure and others fade? Why do you sometimes forget why you went into a room? And what if rather than losing memories, your mind creates false ones – are they still yours, and do they still make you, you?
‘This is a book for anyone wanting to understand the human brain and personhood; it is a book for anyone with a loved one with dementia and for those of us who fear dementia… Montague takes the reader on an exquisite journey into the human brain and beyond that, to the metaphysics of personhood… Occasionally we come across a physicist or economist who, despite their subject matter, can stop you in your tracks. They reel you in without you realising. Montague is a neurologist who does exactly that. She has a rare gift: she makes her craft look simple… Throughout this book Montague displays a maturity and wisdom not always observed in clinicians or indeed any other kind of human.’ Irish Times
‘A profoundly moving, revelatory book… Like the late Oliver Sacks, Jules Montague writes about bizarre cases. …And yet, she is also writing about what it is to be human and the surprising fragility of our sense of self.‘ Daily Mail
*Telegraph bestseller*
An unforgettable book for fans of Henry Marsh and Atul Gawande about how we lose ourselves and those around us – and how we can be found again.
Who do we become when our minds misbehave? If a loved one changes as a result of a brain disorder, are they still the same person? Could a brain disorder enhance your identity rather than damage it?
From dementia and brain injury to sleep disorders, coma, and multiple personality disorder, leading neurologist and journalist Dr Jules Montague explores what remains of the person left behind when the pieces of their mind go missing. Along the way she answers fascinating questions about how we remember, think and behave. Why do some memories endure and others fade? Why do you sometimes forget why you went into a room? And what if rather than losing memories, your mind creates false ones – are they still yours, and do they still make you, you?
‘This is a book for anyone wanting to understand the human brain and personhood; it is a book for anyone with a loved one with dementia and for those of us who fear dementia… Montague takes the reader on an exquisite journey into the human brain and beyond that, to the metaphysics of personhood… Occasionally we come across a physicist or economist who, despite their subject matter, can stop you in your tracks. They reel you in without you realising. Montague is a neurologist who does exactly that. She has a rare gift: she makes her craft look simple… Throughout this book Montague displays a maturity and wisdom not always observed in clinicians or indeed any other kind of human.’ Irish Times
‘A profoundly moving, revelatory book… Like the late Oliver Sacks, Jules Montague writes about bizarre cases. …And yet, she is also writing about what it is to be human and the surprising fragility of our sense of self.‘ Daily Mail
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Reviews
Mindblowing... riveting... Montague has a flair for storytelling.
This is a book for anyone wanting to understand the human brain and personhood; it is a book for anyone with a loved one with dementia and for those of us who fear dementia. In Montague's hands this landscape is rendered more bearable... Montague takes the reader on an exquisite journey into the human brain and beyond that, to the metaphysics of personhood. She does this with a humanity rich in tenderness and a beguiling reverence for the unknown.... Occasionally we come across a physicist or economist who, despite their subject matter, can stop you in your tracks. They reel you in without you realising. Montague is a neurologist who does exactly that. She has a rare gift: she makes her craft look simple... Throughout this book Montague displays a maturity and wisdom not always observed in clinicians or indeed any other kind of human.
'A profoundly moving, revelatory book... Like the late Oliver Sacks, Jules Montague writes about bizarre cases. ...And yet, she is also writing about what it is to be human and the surprising fragility of our sense of self.'
Beautifully written . . . a great book.
This is a book for anyone wanting to understand the human brain and personhood; it is a book for anyone with a loved one with dementia and for those of us who fear dementia . . . Montague takes the reader on an exquisite journey into the human brain and beyond that, to the metaphysics of personhood . . . Occasionally we come across a physicist or economist who, despite their subject matter, can stop you in your tracks. They reel you in without you realising. Montague is a neurologist who does exactly that. She has a rare gift: she makes her craft look simple . . . Throughout this book Montague displays a maturity and wisdom not always observed in clinicians or indeed any other kind of human.
A profoundly moving, revelatory book... Like the late Oliver Sacks, Jules Montague writes about bizarre cases. ...And yet, she is also writing about what it is to be human and the surprising fragility of our sense of self.'
Beautifully written . . . a great book.
Mind-blowing . . . riveting.