Brain Rules by John Medina

Brain Rules Book Review

Most of us have no idea what’s really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details every business leader, parent, and teacher should know—like the need for physical activity to get your brain working its best.

How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget—and so important to repeat new knowledge? Is it true that men and women have different brains?

In Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule—what scientists know for sure about how our brains work—and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives.

Medina’s fascinating stories and infectious sense of humor breathe life into brain science. You’ll learn why Michael Jordan was no good at baseball. You’ll peer over a surgeon’s shoulder as he proves that most of us have a Jennifer Aniston neuron. You’ll meet a boy who has an amazing memory for music but can’t tie his own shoes.

You will discover how:

• Every brain is wired differently
• Exercise improves cognition
• We are designed to never stop learning and exploring
• Memories are volatile
• Sleep is powerfully linked with the ability to learn
• Vision trumps all of the other senses
• Stress changes the way we learn

In the end, you’ll understand how your brain really works—and how to get the most out of it.

 

About the Author

DR. JOHN J. MEDINA, a developmental molecular biologist, has a lifelong fascination with how the mind reacts to and organizes information. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School, a provocative book that takes on the way our schools and work environments are designed. He is also the author of Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five, a must-read for parents and early childhood educators. Medina is an affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

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