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The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 5,260 ratings

An astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable. Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge, MD, traveled the country to meet both the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity and the people whose lives they've transformed - people whose mental limitations or brain damage were seen as unalterable. We see a woman born with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole, blind people who learn to see, learning disorders cured, IQs raised, aging brains rejuvenated, stroke patients learning to speak, children with cerebral palsy learning to move with more grace, depression and anxiety disorders successfully treated, and lifelong character traits changed.

Using these marvelous stories to probe mysteries of the body, emotion, love, sex, culture, and education, Dr. Doidge has written an immensely moving, inspiring book that will permanently alter the way we look at our brains, human nature, and human potential.

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Product details

Listening Length 11 hours and 25 minutes
Author Norman Doidge M.D.
Narrator Jim Bond
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date September 08, 2020
Publisher Penguin Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B0863FRHQ7
Best Sellers Rank #4,836 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#5 in Anatomy & Physiology (Audible Books & Originals)
#8 in Cognitive Neuroscience & Neuropsychology
#11 in Medical Neuropsychology

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
5,260 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides an interesting and understandable overview of the subject. They describe it as well-written and easy to read from cover to cover. The book offers hope and new therapeutic possibilities for people with brain-related disorders and injuries. Readers appreciate the book's ability to change and adapt. Overall, they consider it a valuable and entertaining read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

604 customers mention "Information quality"583 positive21 negative

Customers find the book provides an interesting and understandable overview of neuroscience. It answers their questions and serves as a practical guide for them. The author tells compelling stories about the struggles and triumphs of both scientists and patients. Overall, it's an enjoyable look at the history of neural plasticity and required reading for an intro to neuroscience class.

"...His book is full of well chosen and detailed stories about scientists and their discoveries as well as case reports of triumph over unbelievable..." Read more

"This is book is interesting. I love the cover and the overall packages." Read more

"...That Changes Itself" is an extensive and thoroughly enjoyable look at the history of neural plasticity, albeit from the point of view of a staunch..." Read more

"...Dr. Doidge's book is a beautiful presentation of the human story behind the scenes -- including that of the researchers who committed their lives to..." Read more

544 customers mention "Readability"526 positive18 negative

Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They appreciate the good narration and easy-to-understand nuggets. The book is organized and has fascinating stories about the brain.

"...This book is a good complement to Sharon Begley's and if you can afford it, then I strongly recommend that you get both books...." Read more

"This is book is interesting. I love the cover and the overall packages." Read more

"...I would say that this book is a good read for any audience, but less interesting for those that already have an extensive background in neuroscience...." Read more

"This is my "Book of Hope". Rarely do I read a book that is beautifully written and easily read, but which also changes my understanding and fills me..." Read more

82 customers mention "Brain plasticity"82 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's discussion of brain plasticity. They find the idea that the brain can keep learning and adapting valuable. The book explains how the brain is truly plastic and malleable, opening their eyes to the immense potential of the brain.

"...Neuroplasticity is a topic of enormous practical importance...." Read more

"...You will be touched by neuroplasticity and its ability to gain some hope in people who are discouraged by their neurological conditions...." Read more

"...During young age the brain is very plastic and through a process implanted in our genetic code and practiced millions of years cognitive functions..." Read more

"This book serves as a great introduction to neuroplasticity, a paradigm shift on neuroscience's thinking of what is possible in brain rehabilitation...." Read more

70 customers mention "Hope"70 positive0 negative

Customers find the book offers hope for people with brain-related disorders and injuries. It provides an understanding of new therapeutic possibilities and a more optimistic prognosis than conventional medical wisdom. Readers mention that physical exercise and keeping your brain healthy into old age are key. The book offers new therapeutic possibilities and uplifting stories about how the brain doesn't have to atrophy.

"...about her experience when using this device and how it helped her keep her balance...." Read more

"...of individuals ridding themselves of phantom limbs, recovering from strokes to a degree that was thought impossible, living with half of a brain,..." Read more

"...There are heart warming stories of stroke victims who had gone through traditional rehabilitation but after extensive rehab based on the theory of..." Read more

"...These stories give hope and new therapeutic possibilities to many of the debilitating and challenging medical issues many face...." Read more

43 customers mention "Ability to change"43 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful in understanding the brain's ability to change. They appreciate that it's a highly adaptable structure that undergoes constant changes. The book provides an explanation of how the brain can change itself, reroute impulses, and overcome obstacles.

"...The increasing evidence that the brain is a highly adaptable structure that undergoes constant change throughout life is a far cry from the idea..." Read more

"...We now know the Brain is not a static organ, but is capable of great flexibility or "Plasticity"...." Read more

"...He shows how adaptable the human brain really is and that the different parts of it don’t have their designated, fixed functions...." Read more

"...The basic concept is simple: the brain can change itself--rewire itself, so to speak...." Read more

17 customers mention "Value for money"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book valuable and worth the price.

"This book is fascinating and incredibly valuable for anyone with any number of neurological disorders...." Read more

"...This was a real value for the money book and I compliment the author. One winning book!" Read more

"It was an affordable price. I needed the book for study." Read more

"The first few chapters are worth the price of the book. They are fascinating and engaging, and inspiring...." Read more

9 customers mention "Entertainment value"9 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's entertainment value. They find it entertaining, funny, and informative with wonderful illustrations.

"I liked the author's style. He is a fun and educational writer." Read more

"...It is not very hard to read like other books of its kind, and quite fun...." Read more

"This book presents cutting edge neuroscience in an entertaining and accessible way...." Read more

"...clearly and lightly enough to simultaneously educate and entertain a casual audience." Read more

10 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive7 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it engaging and worth reading, while others feel it drags and loses momentum towards the end.

"...even though this was a good book, it started to bore towards the end...." Read more

"...Never give up. Never, never, never give up. The brain is a amazing piece of work." Read more

"...The final chapters petered off for me, and I had to make myself keep reading. However, that wouldn't stop me from recommending the book." Read more

"Very interesting, but after a few chapters it drags a bit for me...." Read more

Keep Learning and Exercise!
5 out of 5 stars
Keep Learning and Exercise!
Excellent book: To keep your brain healthy into old age, do physical exercise and keep learning new (challenging) things. Now you don’t have to read it. :-) But do anyway if you’re interested in learning what they knew about how the brain functions way back in year 2007.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2007
    Neuroplasticity has recently become a bit of a buzzword. Long the preserve of neuroscientists, this is one of a number of new books on the topic written for the public.

    I recently reviewed Sharon Begley's superb book - Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain - and this one is in a similar vein. Though it is rather different from Sharon's book in which the main focus was on the changes wrought in the brains of meditators, while this one looks at the extraordinary responses of the brain to injury or congenital absence of sensory organs. Since this book went to press, yet another study, this time from India, has shown that some blind children may be able to regain their sight, an observation that is helping turn a lot of neurology on its head.

    Neuroplasticity is a topic of enormous practical importance. The increasing evidence that the brain is a highly adaptable structure that undergoes constant change throughout life is a far cry from the idea that we are simply the product of our genes or our environment. Our genes help determine how we can respond to the environment; they do not make us who we are. And we all have untapped potential. This is more than the old nature/nurture debate in a new bottle. It has implications for human potential: how much can you develop your own brain and mind? Can you really teach a child to be a kind, loving person who can dramatically exceed his or her potential? Can psychotherapy really help change your brain for the better? Can we help re-wire the brain of a psychopath? Do we have the right to try?

    The author is both a research psychiatrist and a psychoanalyst who has interviewed many experts in the field. His book is full of well chosen and detailed stories about scientists and their discoveries as well as case reports of triumph over unbelievable adversity. There is also a good discussion of people who have remarkable abilities despite the absence of key regions of the brain.

    This book is a good complement to Sharon Begley's and if you can afford it, then I strongly recommend that you get both books. If your interest is more in personal development and its effects on the brain, then Sharon's book will be the one for you. If you are more interested in the science and anecdotes about scientists and some amazing patients, then this book may be the one to go for.

    Highly recommended.

    Richard G. Petty, MD, author of Healing, Meaning and Purpose: The Magical Power of the Emerging Laws of Life
    759 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2025
    This is book is interesting. I love the cover and the overall packages.
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2009
    As the title implies, "The Brain That Changes Itself" is an extensive and thoroughly enjoyable look at the history of neural plasticity, albeit from the point of view of a staunch supporter. I found the book to be very well organized, and Doidge's arguments to be very cohesive. The book chapters are filled mostly with stories and case studies regarding a common theme in the study of neural plasticity.

    Doidge begins by relating the story of Paul Bach-y-Rita's research and efforts to debunk the widely held localizationist theories of the 20th century. He presents some more dramatic case studies such as Cheryl who used her tongue to learn to stand after a debilitating brain injury or Barbara, a seemingly retarded woman, who ended up with advanced degrees and a successful research career (these stories are every bit as interesting as they sound). Doidge relates again and again how massive and usually debilitating brain injuries were overcome by physical and mental therapies.

    Following his analysis of catastrophic brain injuries and defects, Doidge gives examples of more everyday plasticity. He relates how common disorders such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia can be attributed to (often minor) traumas and incidents during the critical childhood period. He talks about several schools which have had great success rehabilitating victims of those and other disorders through concentrated and prolonged efforts to retrain the brain. He also gives examples of how plasticity can affect even our emotions or sexual tastes.

    In the final chapters, Doidge relates what he calls the "paradox of plasticity." He explains that, while plasticity can be used to treat crippling injuries, it can also be responsible for equally crippling mental disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder. He explains how rewired neural circuitry can create phantom pain in amputated limbs, reinforce bad habits into addictions, and give rise to compulsive behavior. He further delves into the field of psychoanalysis and reveals the power of thought. He describes many cases where psychoanalysis and new ways of thinking provoke measurable changes in the structure of the brain. He relates one study where a group of people were able to strengthen their finger muscles just by imagining daily finger exercises. As Doidge puts it: "...But now we can see that our "immaterial" thoughts too have a physical signature, and we cannot be so sure that thought won't someday be explained in physical terms. While we have yet to understand exactly how thoughts actually change brain structure, it is now clear that they do, and the firm line Descartes drew between mind and brain is increasingly a dotted line."

    Finally, for those that make it past the last chapter, the appendices and notes section actually contains a wealth of interesting information. Doidge annotated and explained all of the case studies and references that he uses in the preceding chapters, and included some interesting additional arguments about the nature of culture and its effects on the brain.

    As with any book that isn't a textbook, "The Brain That Changes Itself" is filled with opinions. Fortunately, many of these opinions are well supported, but readers new to the field could benefit from some time spent in the notes section. Overall the writing style is casual, easy to follow, and very engaging. I particularly enjoyed Doidge's heavy use of case studies to prove his points. Most of the case studies were tremendously interesting, and I regard them as one of the book's best features. I would say that this book is a good read for any audience, but less interesting for those that already have an extensive background in neuroscience. As a final note, I would highly recommend the Kindle version of this book. Unlike some electronic books I have read, the formatting was great, there were no typos, and the book was organized in such a way that I didn't waste time constantly scrolling or flipping pages back and forth.
    23 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente!!!!!!!!!!!
    Reviewed in Mexico on November 15, 2024
    Excelente libro, muy interesante tema y contenido. Recomiendo.
  • AEW0416
    5.0 out of 5 stars Didn’t want it to end!
    Reviewed in Canada on May 15, 2023
    I thought this book was going to be over my head and ‘dry’ but it was one of the best books I’ve read in a while. Absolutely fascinating and so well written. The information contained in this book is critical and I often wonder why some of these topics aren’t being talked about more. We are in a mental health crisis and these discoveries need to be talked about. I will definitely purchase his other book and every book he writes going forward. I savoured every moment while reading this book and I didn’t want it to end. I highly recommend this book.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Plain Common sense
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2024
    What people endure to break the establishment order & allow human kind to progress is amazing. A book crafted from a deep sense of belief.

    So if you want to know about our wonderful brain....your not a Dr not a scientist then STOP thinking you know STOP thinking they must right... read this amazing enlightening book Cheers Michael
  • Margarida
    5.0 out of 5 stars I'm still in the beggining, but what a great book! (The book came a little dented at the spine)
    Reviewed in Spain on November 17, 2022
    To Amazon,
    The book came a little dented at the spine, so I suggest you start wrapping it with bubble wrap so this doesn't happen anymore (I've seen more people with this problem).

    To the readers,
    I'm not English so I was a little scared that the book might be written in very technical language. However, the writing is very fluid and simple, it is very easy to understand and visualize what the author is telling us and explaining. I've only read the first chapter yet, but so far the book is super interesting (not boring at all) and almost makes me hooked. I totally recommend it - especially if you have an interest in neuroscience and neuropsychology!!
  • Mercedesz Bartha-Sipos
    5.0 out of 5 stars Intressant
    Reviewed in Sweden on March 10, 2023
    Jag verkligen tyckte om boken. Intressant forskning om hjärnan, även om den har några år på nacken. Läsvärt.