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  • The Idiot Brain

  • A Neuroscientist Explains What Your Head Is Really up To
  • By: Dean Burnett
  • Narrated by: Matt Addis
  • Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (2,443 ratings)
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The Idiot Brain cover art

The Idiot Brain

By: Dean Burnett
Narrated by: Matt Addis
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Summary

Why do you lose arguments with people who know MUCH LESS than you?

Why can you recognize that woman, from that thing...but can't remember her name?

And why, after your last break-up, did you find yourself in the fetal position on the sofa for days, moving only to wipe the snot and tears haphazardly from your face? Here's why: the idiot brain.

For something supposedly so brilliant and evolutionarily advanced, the human brain is pretty messy, fallible and disorganized. For example, your memory is egotistical. No, really. Conspiracy theories and superstitions are the inevitable effects of a healthy brain. And alcohol can actually improve your memory.**

In The Idiot Brain, neuroscientist Dean Burnett tours our mysterious and mischievous grey (and white) matter. Along the way he explains the human brain's imperfections in all their glory and how these influence everything we say, do and experience. Expertly researched and entertainingly written, this audiobook is for anyone who has wondered why their brain appears to be sabotaging their life, and what on earth it is really up to.

**Editor's note: please listen to the book before testing this conclusion.

From the hugely popular Guardian science blogger, a surprising, funny and mind-bending examination of how and why the brain sabotages our behavior.

©2016 Dean Burnett (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"Compelling and wise and rational. You know you can trust him... a great read." (Jon Ronson)
"An entertaining romp through the science of our mental mental processes. Full of fascinating insight into the brain and the origins of our crazy behaviour." (Gaia Vince)

What listeners say about The Idiot Brain

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

WOW! A much needed explanation. Thank you 😊

Wow, what a book. I have just finished a intensive residential programme for PTSD and feel that along with all of the education we received, added to the insight in this book has given me a better understanding of why my brain is experiencing the problems it has and it has given me one more thing to prevent any further rumination on past experiences.
Thank you Dean for providing this opportunity, it was a wonderful and enlightening listen without being bored or confused by technical jargon. Thanks to Matt for having the ability to narrate the facts in the book in a way that kept me listening for longer each time than I probably should have.

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74 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This is a 6-star book!!

To me, Dean Burnett is the Brian Cox of neuroscience. He presents the extremely complicated workings of the brain in a way that is understandable, relatable and fun.

If you want an appreciation of the ways our normally functioning brains can be a liability, this is a great book. If you want to wet your appetite after purchasing the book, skip to Chapter 8, and listen to the point where he says "and that is when the brain is working normally", it is about 30 seconds of narration. I guarantee you will want to start listening to the book immediately.

I found this audio book so useful, I bought the kindle edition as a reference aid, and a hard copy for my wife. I often leave 5-star reviews, I seldom take the time to write a review. I only do that when I feel I have something to contribute to other listeners making a choice.

Matt Addis' narration captures the tone of the book perfectly, I hope the Matt Addis is chosen to narrate Dean Burnett's next book, The Happy Brain, which is released on 01 May 2018.

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64 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enlightening read

Very entertaining and balances humour with
hard facts extremely well. Made my idiot brain feel like it was actually learning something.

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40 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Written by a very smart brain

Would you consider the audio edition of The Idiot Brain to be better than the print version?

I've not read the book but the audible version is expertly read and the perfect way to enjoy to enjoy it

Who was your favorite character and why?

No characters just a detailed but very easy to understand insight into the workings of your brain. Very humorous too and I keep returning to listen to it over and over again

Which scene did you most enjoy?

All of it

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Its not that kind of book but all of it certainly entertained me

Any additional comments?

If you are the slightest bit interested in the working of the brain and mind then don't pass this book by. It is not a stuffy, complicated or wordy book but an entertaining, fascinating, clever and worthwhile listen

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33 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Ed
  • 07-12-16

wild world of the brain explained simply

A great humorous explanation of how our mind works told in a simple way that is both entertaining and informative.

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19 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Intelligently Hilarious

Very well written and narrated. Extremely informative and interesting as well as hilarious and entertaining, a fantastic audiobook.

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16 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Informative and intertwining

interesting book to read about the way human brain works. made me giggle a couple of times.

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15 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Interesting and illustrative

This book illustrates the current academic beliefs we have about the brain. It's very comprehensive and explains the inner workings of our brains in lay men's terms. Many misconceptions are explained. I found the audio book worthwhile! Would recommend it if you're into 'understanding how we tick'!

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15 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

For a science book it is very entertaining

I was really interested to read more about the quirks of the brain. But not brig a scientist myself put me off reading too much into the subject! for a "scientific" book it is presented in a very entertaining and interesting way. With nice touches of humour throughout. That said, the subject matter is still rather "Heavy" and my eyes/ ears often glazed over upon each mention of the Hippocampus or frontal cortex. I expected the end to lead towards something but the book just kind of finished. The narrator is excellent and its so nice to hear a Welsh accent for a change. Overall, it's a very interesting read even though it did become a bit of a chore towards the end.

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic!

loved it! Well written and well read. An extremely interesting delve into our own internal workings!

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12 people found this helpful