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What Goes On in My Head? by Robert Winston is a tremendously entertaining children’s book about neuroscience and psychology and is the final book shortlisted for the Royal Society’s Young People’s Book Prize.
Read this book and you’ll find answers to questions such as “Are brains actually necessary?”, “Why do we rub sore bits of our body better?”, “What is more dangerous – sleep deprivation or food deprivation?” and “Is it always better to concentrate when you’ve got to make an important decision?”.
Mike, the headless chicken
If that’s not enough, whilst reading this book it will seem like you have your own magician in the room; What Goes On in My Head? is packed with activities that explore different aspects of brain behaviour and many of them had us gasping with amazement or trying them again because the illusion or effect was so powerful. For example you can learn how to see inside your own eyes, how to make someone’s arm spontaneously levitate (the myth of telekinesis is debunked, by the way), and why it’s so difficult to draw even a simple image when you look in a mirror.
What Goes On in My Head? is a fascinating, exciting read, packed with curious facts. And as you’d expect with a Dorling Kindersley book, it’s a lovingly produced physical object, rich in images.
If I were to find fault with this beautifully produced book it would the use of Robert Winston as the “celebrity” author. Yes, he’s a household name (at least here in the UK), but he’s not a neuroscientist nor a psychologist (human fertility is is area of expertise). It seems a shame that if you’re going to use a scientist presumably with the idea of giving weight to the content of a book, why not use a scientist who is an expert in the field. Of course the book was written in consultation with a neuroscientist, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, and this leaves me wondering what Robert Winston actually wrote for the book. Additionally, Robert Winston was used as a figure head to promote the sale of a health supplement, the adverts for which were subsequently banned for breaching the ASA guidelines on “substantiation and truthfulness”, so for me personally, the use of his name to add “credibility” to this book backfires a little.
I’ve so enjoyed your fab posts this week – definitely on a roll!!! And you make such a good point here!!! Why does a good book need an endorsement, especially from someone who is not even “in the field.” I guess because he is more of a brand… they are using his TV character rather than his expertise – really they could have any star up there to help market their book. Excellent point!!!
Thanks Se7en, I’ve had so much fun reviewing the shortlisted books and our whole family have learned lots of amazing things. It’s been a treat! I know Robert Winston has written other books for DK, and I believe one of his official roles here is meant to be engaging the public with science, so I guess that’s partly why he was chosen
We have this book, and yes it is awesome.
Which to choose of the lot?- tough Q!
Re Robert Winston – I guess same reason as why Carol Volderman endorses math books and Richard Hammond for some other titles under DK science books?!