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Inventing Ourselves

The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain

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Inventing Ourselves

By: Sarah-Jayne Blakemore
Narrated by: Sarah Borges
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About this listen

Until very recently, scientists believed our brains were fully developed in childhood. Now, thanks to imaging technology, we know that the brain goes on developing and changing right through adolescence into adulthood.

So, what makes the adolescent brain different? Why does an easy child become a challenging teenager? And why is it that many mental illnesses begin during these formative years?

Drawing upon her cutting-edge research, award-winning neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore explains how adolescence is fundamental to how we invent ourselves.

©2018 Sarah-Jayne Blakemore (P)2018 W.F. Howes Ltd Adolescent Psychology Biological Sciences Developmental Psychology Neuroscience & Neuropsychology Parenting & Families Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships Science Social Sciences Teenagers Young Adult Mental Health Human Brain

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All stars
Most relevant  
Slightly disappointed with this. Lots of build up for only a few nuggets. Not memorable either. Much preferred why we sleep which is more content heavy and more elegantly written.

Underwhelmed

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Interesting content, however I found the narrator’s accent very distracting. Shame, because I found content engaging but had to concentrate hard not to be distracted by the narrator.

Interesting content, distracting accent

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Sarah-Jayne Blakemore's book is essential reading for adolescents and those that care for them. She outlines some of the relatively contemporary research which helps us to understand why adolescents think and behave in the way that they do. However, this audiobook version is very disappointing. I did at first wonder if the narrator was the author, but realised it couldn't be, because pronunciation of certain words was just not correct and I have seen Sarah-Jayne Blakemore speak; she is clear, crisp and accurate in her delivery. I discovered that the narrator of this audiobook is a voice-over artist; I know it's not unusual to employ someone other than the author to narrate a book. However, I am wondering who thought it would be a good idea for the narrator to attempt to emulate the author's accent and enunciation. I found the narrator's faux upper-class accent delivery patronising and irritating, unnecessarily distracting from otherwise excellent and very interesting content.

Narrator's enunciation spoils excellent content

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Nice review of research and relating to science of the brain and helpful for understanding teenage and children’s brains.

Helpful!

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couldn't stand the narrator. Heavy subject matter to stay focused on! A lot of interesting stuff but I tuned out many times listening.

Very dense

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Dad of two teens. Having read a couple of books on the teen brain I really enjoyed this book as it’s based on science, rather than anecdote.

I loved the fact that this was by a UK author, and found it to be more liberal and less scare mongering thank another US published book

Very interesting read

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A wonderful, well-researched, accessible and fascinating insight into teenage brains. This book was incredibly interesting, even for someone with no prior knowledge of psychology really. As a teacher it gave me a great insight into the challenges faced by my pupils. I thought that it lost focus occasionally, lingering for too long on certain studies or ideas that weren't directly relevant to the topic. Otherwise fantastic.

Wonderfully interesting and well researched book

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Writing science that is accessible to non-experts while also being accurate and interesting to those in the field is very difficult, and I think this book strikes a good balance. It's an accessible look at adolescent brain development, suitable for teachers and parents as well as scientists or students looking for an introduction to the field. Some of the cases will be familiar to anyone who has taken a psychology class (if I had a dime for every time Gage was "introduced" to me...), but that doesn't detract from the overall quality, as research is well-used to illustrate points.

I'd listen on 1.1x or 1.2x speed.

A useful, research-grounded overview

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Loved the presentation of major findings from the field. Very engaging read.

Shame about the posh voice. A missed opportunity to rebrand a social class association in science.

Great accessible science

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A brilliant, exhaustive (but always fascinating) overview of the neuroscience around adolescence. Would recommend to fellow mental health professionals and/or scientists, but it is also written in an accessible way such that anyone with a passing interest in the subject matter would enjoy. Narration was of a very high standard throughout.

Excellent overview of adolescence

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