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Albert Einstein (Basic Biographies)
by Susan KesselringA very simple introduction to the life and accomplishments of noted physicist Albert Einstein.
Albert Einstein, Boris Podolsky, Nathan Rosen: Can Quantum-Mechanical Description of Physical Reality Be Considered Complete? (Classic Texts in the Sciences)
by Claus KieferThe work published by Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (EPR) in 1935 is a classic in modern physics. It discusses, for the first time, the central feature of the quantum theory: entanglement. In general, systems are intertwined with each other in nature; that is, they have only one common, non-divisible state. This fact is responsible for all the oddities commonly associated with quantum theory, including the famous thought experiments with Schrödinger’s cat and Wigner’s friend. The entanglement of quantum mechanics plays a central role in experiments with atoms and photons (Nobel Prize 2012 for Haroche and Wineland) and the planned construction of quantum computers. This book presents EPR’s original work amplified with a detailed commentary, which examines both the historical context and all aspects of entanglement. In particular, it focuses on the interpretation of quantum theory and its consequences for a basic understanding of nature.
The Albert Einstein Collection Volume One: Essays in Humanism, The Theory of Relativity, and The World As I See It
by Albert EinsteinThree captivating volumes reveal how Einstein viewed both the physical universe and the everyday world in which he lived. A century after his theory of general relativity shook the foundations of the scientific world, Albert Einstein&’s name is still synonymous with genius. This collection is an introduction to one of the world&’s greatest minds.Essays in Humanism Nuclear proliferation, Zionism, and the global economy are just a few of the insightful and surprisingly prescient topics scientist Albert Einstein discusses in this volume of collected essays from between 1931 and 1950. With a clear voice and a thoughtful perspective on the effects of science, economics, and politics in daily life, Einstein&’s essays provide an intriguing view inside the mind of a genius as he addresses the philosophical challenges presented during the turbulence of the Great Depression, World War II, and the dawn of the Cold War.The Theory of Relativity and Other Essays E=mc2 may be Einstein&’s most well-known contribution to modern science. Now, on the one-hundredth anniversary of the theory of general relativity, discover the thought process behind this famous equation. In this collection of his seven most important essays on physics, Einstein guides his reader through the many layers of scientific theory that formed a starting point for his discoveries. By both supporting and refuting the theories and scientific efforts of his predecessors, he reveals the origins and meaning of such significant topics as physics and reality, the fundamentals of theoretical physics, the common language of science, the laws of science and of ethics, and an elementary derivation of the equivalence of mass and energy. This remarkable collection, authorized by the Albert Einstein archives, allows the non-scientist to understand not only the significance of Einstein&’s masterpiece, but also the brilliant mind behind it.The World As I See It Authorized by the Albert Einstein Archives, this is a fascinating collection of observations about life, religion, nationalism, and a host of personal topics that engaged the intellect of one of the world&’s greatest minds. In the aftermath of World War I, Einstein writes about his hopes for the League of Nations, his feelings as a German citizen about the growing anti-Semitism and nationalism of his country, and his opinions about the current affairs of his day. In addition to these political perspectives, The World As I See It reveals the idealistic, spiritual, and witty side of this great intellectual as he approaches topics including &“Good and Evil,&” &“Religion and Science,&” &“Active Pacifism,&” &“Christianity and Judaism,&” and &“Minorities.&” Including letters, speeches, articles and essays written before 1935, this collection offers a complete portrait of Einstein as a humanitarian and as a human being trying to make sense of the changing world around him.This authorized ebook features new introductions by Neil Berger and an illustrated biography of Albert Einstein, which includes rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The Albert Einstein Collection Volume Two: Essays in Science, Letters to Solovine, and Letters on Wave Mechanics
by Albert EinsteinFrom revealing, personal letters to brilliant essays on the nature of science, these three volumes demonstrate the breadth of Einstein&’s thought. The man who became famous for conceiving of the equation E=mc2 kept his mind sharp through stimulating correspondence and applied his intellectual acuity to a number of important scientific issues. The second volume of the Albert Einstein Collection offers a fascinating window into how he developed his ideas. Essays in Science: In these sixteen essays, written at the height of his intellectual powers, Einstein sets out his views on scientific knowledge, its relationship to human experience, and the underlying principles of any scientific pursuit. He discusses his own work in theoretical physics and its basis in field theory, as well as the many achievements of other scientific thinkers—including Johannes Kepler, Isaac Newton, James Clerk Maxwell, Max Planck, Niels Bohr, and others. Letters to Solovine: This collection of personal letters from Einstein to his longtime friend and translator Maurice Solovine offers a rare glimpse into the evolution of his thought, as well as a revealing portrait of the man himself. Spanning Einstein&’s career and ranging from philosophical discussion to personal gossip, these letters are presented in English translation alongside the German text, with facsimiles of the original letters also included. Letters on Wave Mechanics: In this stirring collection of correspondence, four of the twentieth century&’s greatest minds—H. A. Lorentz, Max Planck, Erwin Schrödinger, and Albert Einstein—discuss, debate, and refine Schrödinger&’s then-nascent theory of wave mechanics. As the physicist Karl Przibram states in his foreword to this edition, &“little needs to be added to the letters; they speak for themselves. Apart from their essential content, they reveal something of the personalities of the four men of genius.&”
Albert Einstein, The Human Side: Glimpses from His Archives
by Albert EinsteinModesty, humor, compassion, and wisdom are the traits most evident in this illuminating selection of personal papers from the Albert Einstein Archives. The illustrious physicist wrote as thoughtfully to an Ohio fifth-grader, distressed by her discovery that scientists classify humans as animals, as to a Colorado banker who asked whether Einstein believed in a personal God. Witty rhymes, an exchange with Queen Elizabeth of Belgium about fine music, and expressions of his devotion to Zionism are but some of the highlights found in this warm and enriching book.
Albert Einstein, Mileva Maric: The Love Letters
by Albert EinsteinIn 1903, despite the vehement objections of his parents, Albert Einstein married Mileva Maric, the companion, colleague, and confidante whose influence on his most creative years has given rise to much speculation. Beginning in 1897, after Einstein and Maric met as students at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic, and ending shortly after their marriage, these fifty-four love letters offer a rare glimpse into Einstein's relationship with his first wife while shedding light on his intellectual development in the period before the annus mirabilis of 1905. Unlike the picture of Einstein the lone, isolated thinker of Princeton, he appears here both as the burgeoning enfant terrible of science and as an amorous young man beset, along with his fiance, by financial and personal struggles--among them the illegitimate birth of their daughter, whose existence is known only by these letters. Describing his conflicts with professors and other scientists, his arguments with his mother over Maric, and his difficulty obtaining an academic position after graduation, the letters enable us to reconstruct the youthful Einstein with an unprecedented immediacy. His love for Maric, whom he describes as "a creature who is my equal, and who is as strong and independent as I am," brings forth his serious as well as playful, often theatrical nature. After their marriage, however, Maric becomes less his intellectual companion, and, failing to acquire a teaching certificate, she subordinates her professional goals to his. In the final letters Einstein has obtained a position at the Swiss Patent Office and mentions their daughter one last time to his wife in Hungary, where she is assumed to have placed the girl in the care of relatives. Informative, entertaining, and often very moving, this collection of letters captures for scientists and general readers alike a little known yet crucial period in Einstein's life.
Albert Einstein (Rebel Lives)
by Albert Einstein Tom KeebleEinstein as an absent-minded genius with his head in the clouds is a far cry from the real picture. A man deeply interested in social issues, Einstein felt it was his duty to use his fame and intellect to advance the cause of social justice.
Albert Einstein Was a Dope? (Wait! What? #0)
by Dan GutmanFrom the best-selling author behind My Weird School: a quirky new biography series that casts fresh light on high-interest historic figures. Did you know that Albert Einstein was a high school dropout, and that he failed his physics class when he finally made it to college? Or that when he died, his brain and eyeballs were removed from his body? Ever wondered why his hair looked so wild? Siblings Paige and Turner do—and they’ve collected some of the kookiest and most unusual facts about the world-famous scientist, from his childhood and school days through his time studying relativity and working on the atomic bomb. Narrated by the two spirited siblings and animated by Allison Steinfeld’s upbeat illustrations, Albert Einstein Was a Dope? expertly balances authoritative information with Dan Gutman’s signature zany humor.
Albert Meets America: How Journalists Treated Genius during Einstein's 1921 Travels
by József IllyIn 1919, newspaper headlines said that a British expedition had confirmed Einstein's general theory of relativity. The news stirred the public imagination on both sides of the Atlantic and thrust the scientist into the spotlight of fame. Two years later, Chaim Weizmann led a fund-raising mission to the United States and invited Einstein to join it. The mission traveled to New York, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Hartford to campaign for public awareness and support of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This brought Einstein within the grasp of the American media. His lectures delivered in New York, Princeton, and Chicago, and comments on the Jewish presence in Palestine, made Einstein, on his first trip to America, one of the first media stars. In Albert Meets America, József Illy presents a fascinating compilation of media stories of Einstein’s tour—which cover his science, his Zionism, and the anti-Semitism he encountered. As we travel with Einstein, from headline to headline, we experience his emotional connection with American Jews and his frustration at becoming world famous even though his theories were not truly understood. This exciting collection gives readers an intimate glimpse into the life of one of the world’s first modern celebrities and a unique understanding of the media's power over both its subject and its audience.
Albert Meets America: How Journalists Treated Genius during Einstein's 1921 Travels
by József IllyThis volume of news articles from Einstein’s first trip to America explores his rise a public figure and the creation of his celebrity persona.When a British expedition confirmed Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity in 1919, the news catapulted the German physicist to global fame. Two years later, he joined a fund-raising tour through the United States—a country he’d never seen before—gathering support for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His lectures in New York, Princeton, and Chicago, and comments on the Jewish presence in Palestine, made Einstein one of the first media stars. In Albert Meets America, József Illy presents a fascinating compilation of media stories written during Einstein’s trip that cover his science, his Zionism, and the anti-Semitism he encountered. Traveling with Einstein from headline to headline, readers experience his emotional connection with American Jews and his frustration at becoming world famous even though his theories were not truly understood.This collection gives readers an intimate glimpse into the life of one of the world’s first modern celebrities and a unique understanding of the media’s power over both its subject and its audience.
Albert the Great: Virtus Formativa (Palgrave Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Medicine)
by Amalia CerritoThis book provides the first comprehensive treatment of Albert the Great’s (c. 1193–1280) notion of virtus formativa, a shaping force responsible for crucial dynamics in the formation of living beings. Crossing the boundaries between theology and philosophy, the notion of virtus formativa, or formative power, was central in explaining genetic inheritance and the configuration of the embryo. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this book reconstructs how Albert the Great, motivated by theological open issues, reorganised the natural-philosophical and medical theories on embryonic development, creatively drawing upon Greek, Patristic, and Arabic sources. A valuable contribution to research, this book offers essential insights for those studying the history of embryology, medicine, and science in the medieval and renaissance periods.
Alboran Sea - Ecosystems and Marine Resources
by José Carlos Báez Juan-Tomás Vázquez Juan Antonio Camiñas Mohammed Malouli IdrissiThe Alboran Sea represents a regional Mediterranean space where North and South worlds merges, creating a geopolitical region where marine resources and maritime activities should be managed from a national and international perspectives. It is widely known, that currently the planet is suffering a global change, and it is also affecting the Alboran Sea, its ecosystems and populations. An important first step to update a paramount vision on this region is to understand the climatic, geologic and oceanographic, including biochemical cycles, process which shapes the rich geodiversity, biodiversity, the productivity, and the sustainable use of the marine resources from Alboran Sea. The fisheries management system should take into account marine environmental variability to achieve biological sustainability of marine resources. Well-funded policy-makers’ decisions require a sound science based knowledge of the interaction between the marine environment and commercial stocks. This is because the role of marine environment in the evolution of fish stocks is sometimes even more important than the one played by fishers in the commercial exploitation of them. Finally, we should analyze the different aspects of political context that could affect the management of the resources from Alboran Sea in the context of climate change. This book reviews different aspects of the Alboran Sea to help understand the current situation from the original Tethis Ocean. The book is divided into four blocks: (i) Oceanographic, geological and ecological context (chapters 2 to 7), (ii) biodiversity and ecosystems distribution (chapters 8 to 12), (iii) fisheries resources and aquaculture (chapters 13 to 20), and (iv) conservation, management and marine polices (chapters 21 to 25).
Albright's Chemical Engineering Handbook
by Lyle F. AlbrightTaking greater advantage of powerful computing capabilities over the last several years, the development of fundamental information and new models has led to major advances in nearly every aspect of chemical engineering. Albright's Chemical Engineering Handbook represents a reliable source of updated methods, applications, and fundamental co
Albumin in Medicine: Pathological and Clinical Applications
by Masaki Otagiri Victor Tuan Giam ChuangThis book presents a comprehensive overview of medical and pharmaceutical applications of human serum albumin (HSA), with updates on structural aspects of albumin from the perspectives of X-ray crystallography and NMR, endogenous and exogenous ligand binding of albumin in various pathological conditions, and genetic variants and their phenotypes. Rapid progress and development of its applications have resulted in outstanding results for which albumin has clearly been proven to be a robust biomaterial. Contributions from leading international experts in this field show how HSA is applied to diagnosis, therapy, drugs, and treatment, with a comprehensive introduction of HSA. This volume will appeal to scientists in pharmaceutical and medical research including pharmaceutical chemists, pharmacokineticists, toxicologists, and biochemists not only in academia but also in industry. Readers can effectively acquire the most recent knowledge of applications of HSA and its impact on human health in a single volume.
Alchemical Poetry, 1575-1700: From Previously Unpublished Manuscripts (Routledge Library Editions: Alchemy #Vol. 5)
by Robert M. SchulerOf interest to interdisciplinary historians as well as those in various other fields, this book presents the first publication of 14 poems ranging from 12 to 3,000 lines. The poems are printed in the chronological order of their composition, from Elizabethan to Augustan times, but nine of them are verse translations of works from earlier periods in the development of alchemy. Each has a textual and historical introduction and explanatory note by the Editor. Renaissance alchemy is acknowledged as an important element in the histories of early modern science and medicine. This book emphasises these poems’ expression of and shaping influence on religious, social and political values and institutions of their time too and is a useful reference work with much to offer for cultural studies and literary studies as well as science and history.
An Alchemical Quest for Universal Knowledge: The ‘Christian Philosophy’ of Jan Baptist Van Helmont (1579-1644) (Universal Reform: Studies in Intellectual History, 1550-1700)
by Georgiana D. HedesanHistory of science credits the Flemish physician, alchemist and philosopher Jan Baptist Van Helmont (1579-1644) for his contributions to the development of chemistry and medicine. Yet, as this book makes clear, focussing on Van Helmont's impact on modern science does not do justice to the complexity of his thought or to his influence on successive generations of intellectuals like Robert Boyle or Gottfried Leibniz. Revealing Van Helmont as an original thinker who sought to produce a post-Scholastic synthesis of religion and natural philosophy, Georgiana Hedesan reconstructs his ambitious quest for universal knowledge as it emerges from the text of the Ortus medicinae (1648). Published after Van Helmont's death by his son, the work can best be understood as a compilation of finished and unfinished treatises, the historical product of a life unsettled by religious persecution and personal misfortune. The present book provides a coherent account of Van Helmont's philosophy by analysing its main tenets. Divided into two parts, the study opens with a background to Van Helmont's concept of an alchemical Christian philosophy, demonstrating that his outlook was deeply grounded in the tradition of medical alchemy as reformed by Theophrastus von Hohenheim, called Paracelsus (1493-1541). It then reconstitutes Van Helmont's biography, while giving a historical dimension to his intellectual output. The second part reconstructs Van Helmont's Christian philosophy, investigating his views on God, nature and man, as well as his applied philosophy. Hedesan also provides an account of the development of Van Helmont's thought throughout his life. The conclusion sums up Van Helmont's intellectual achievement and highlights avenues of future research.
The Alchemist’s Journey: An Old System For A New Age
by Glennie KindredIn this account of 12 months in her life, much-loved author Glennie Kindred explores the powerful fusion of alchemy with the eight Celtic festivals, and shows us how to tap in to the natural energy of transformation inherent in the earth's cycles. Full of practical ideas to encourage us to be open to the power of transformation, and written in an inspiring and accessible style, this book brings the ancient alchemical processes into a fresh, clear light. Glennie shows us how each season is an opportunity to develop, adapt, and experience ourselves in a new way. This inspires us to unlock the love that brings healing to ourselves and our relationship to the earth. She reveals how we can find this true alchemical gold and become a powerful force for positive change in the world.
Alchemy (Dover Books on Engineering)
by E. J. HolmyardAlchemy is thought to have originated over 2000 years ago in Hellenic Egypt, the result of three converging streams: Greek philosophy, Egyptian technology and the mysticism of Middle Eastern religions. Its heyday was from about 800 A.D. to the middle of the seventeenth century, and its practitioners ranged from kings, popes, and emperors to minor clergy, parish clerks, smiths, dyers, and tinkers. Even such accomplished men as Roger Bacon, Thomas Aquinas, Sir Thomas Browne and Isaac Newton took an interest in alchemical matters.In its search for the "Philosopher's Stone" that would transmute base metals into silver and gold, alchemy took on many philosophical, religious and mystical overtones. These and many other facets of alchemy are explored with enormous insight and erudition in this classic work. E. J. Holmyard, a noted scholar in the field, begins with the alchemists of ancient Greece and China and goes on to discuss alchemical apparatus, Islamic and early Western alchemy; signs, symbols, and secret terms; Paracelsus; English, Scottish and French alchemists; Helvetius, Price, and Semler, and much more.Ranging over two millennia of alchemical history, Mr. Holmyard shows how, like astrology and witchcraft, alchemy was an integral part of the pre-scientific moral order, arousing the cupidity of princes, the blind fear of mobs and the intellectual curiosity of learned men. Eventually, however, with the advent and ascension of the scientific method, the hopes and ideas of the alchemists faded to the status of "pseudo-science." That transformation, as well as alchemy's undeniable role as a precursor of modern chemistry, are brilliantly illuminated in this book. Students of alchemy, chemistry, the history of science, and the occult, plus anyone interested in the origin and evolution of one of mankind's most enduring and influential myths, will want to have a copy of this masterly study.
Alchemy and Alchemists
by C. J. ThompsonAlchemy, whose beginnings — possibly in Egypt, Babylon, India, or China — are ancient and obscure, remained undocumented until about 2500 BC. Although it may have originated with metallurgy, the practice rapidly developed an association with magic, pharmacy, and astrology. In this richly illustrated and amply researched study, a noted expert traces the long history of alchemy, from its murky start to modern times. Hermes Trismegistus and other famous alchemists appear here, along with discussions of the craft's associations with chicanery (as memorably portrayed in Ben Jonson's 1610 comedy, The Alchemist), and its role in the secret society of Rosicrucians. Additional topics include the alchemist's laboratory and equipment, alchemical symbols and secret alphabets, noteworthy manuscripts, the influence of astrology, and more. Although regarded today as a pseudoscience, alchemy gave rise to scientific chemistry. This volume illustrates the ways in which efforts to transmute metals — such as the search for the ever-elusive philosopher's stone — stimulated experimentation with hitherto untried substances, leading to improved knowledge of the materials vital to applied chemistry. Anyone intrigued by the origins and practices of this age-old and still-mysterious discipline, as well as those interested in the history of chemistry, will appreciate this concise, authoritative study.
Alchemy in Europe: A Guide to Research (Routledge Library Editions: Alchemy)
by Claudia KrenThis comprehensive annotated bibliography, first published in 1990, guides the user helpfully through where to find information on various elements on alchemy when researching. Divided into categories to aid finding the right area of interest, this book forms a unique reference tool.
Alchemy in the Rain Forest: Politics, Ecology, and Resilience in a New Guinea Mining Area
by Jerry K. JackaIn Alchemy in the Rain Forest Jerry K. Jacka explores how the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea's highlands struggle to create meaningful lives in the midst of extreme social conflict and environmental degradation. Drawing on theories of political ecology, place, and ontology and using ethnographic, environmental, and historical data, Jacka presents a multilayered examination of the impacts large-scale commercial gold mining in the region has had on ecology and social relations. Despite the deadly interclan violence and widespread pollution brought on by mining, the uneven distribution of its financial benefits has led many Porgerans to call for further development. This desire for increased mining, Jacka points out, counters popular portrayals of indigenous people as innate conservationists who defend the environment from international neoliberal development. Jacka's examination of the ways Porgerans search for common ground between capitalist and indigenous ways of knowing and being points to the complexity and interconnectedness of land, indigenous knowledge, and the global economy in Porgera and beyond.
The Alchemy of Air: A Jewish Genius, a Doomed Tycoon, and the Scientific Discovery That Fed the World but Fueled the Rise of Hitler
by Thomas HagerA sweeping history of tragic genius, cutting-edge science, and the discovery that changed billions of lives--including your own.At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster. Mass starvation, long predicted for the fast-growing population, was about to become a reality. A call went out to the world's scientists to find a solution. This is the story of the two enormously gifted, fatally flawed men who found it: the brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber and the reclusive, alcoholic Carl Bosch. Together they discovered a way to make bread out of air, built city-sized factories, controlled world markets, and saved millions of lives. Their invention continues to feed us today; without it, more than two billion people would starve.But their epochal triumph came at a price we are still paying. The Haber-Bosch process was also used to make the gunpowder and high explosives that killed millions during the two world wars. Both men were vilified during their lives; both, disillusioned and disgraced, died tragically. Today we face the other unintended consequences of their discovery--massive nitrogen pollution and a growing pandemic of obesity.The Alchemy of Air is the extraordinary, previously untold story of two master scientists who saved the world only to lose everything and of the unforseen results of a discovery that continues to shape our lives in the most fundamental and dramatic of ways.
The Alchemy of Disease: How Chemicals and Toxins Cause Cancer and Other Illnesses
by John WhysnerSince the dawn of the industrial age, we have unleashed a bewildering number of potentially harmful chemicals. But out of this vast array, how do we identify the actual threats? What does it take to prove that a certain chemical causes cancer? How do we translate academic knowledge of the toxic effects of particular substances into understanding real-world health consequences? The science that answers these questions is toxicology.In The Alchemy of Disease, John Whysner offers an accessible and compelling history of toxicology and its key findings. He details the experiments and discoveries that revealed the causal connections between chemical exposures and diseases. Balancing clear accounts of groundbreaking science with human drama and public-policy relevance, Whysner describes key moments in the development of toxicology and their thorny social and political implications. The book features discussions of toxicological problems past and present, including DDT, cigarettes and other carcinogens, lead poisoning, fossil fuels, chemical warfare, pharmaceuticals—including opioids—and the efficacy of animal testing. Offering valuable insight into the science and politics of crucial public-health concerns, The Alchemy of Disease shows that toxicology’s task—pinpointing the chemical cause of an illness—is as compelling as any detective story.
The Alchemy of Empire: Abject Materials and the Technologies of Colonialism
by Rajani SudanThe Alchemy of Empire unravels the non-European origins of Enlightenment science. Focusing on the abject materials of empire-building, this study traces the genealogies of substances like mud, mortar, ice, and paper, as well as forms of knowledge like inoculation. Showing how East India Company employees deployed the paradigm of alchemy in order to make sense of the new worlds they confronted, Rajani Sudan argues that the Enlightenment was born largely out of Europe’s (and Britain’s) sense of insecurity and inferiority in the early modern world. Plumbing the depths of the imperial archive, Sudan uncovers the history of the British Enlightenment in the literary artifacts of the long eighteenth century, from the correspondence of the East India Company and the papers of the Royal Society to the poetry of Alexander Pope and the novels of Jane Austen.
An Alchemy of Mind: The Marvel and Mystery of the Brain
by Diane AckermanThe most ambitious and enlightening work to date from the bestselling author of A Natural History of the Senses, An Alchemy of Mind combines an artist's eye with a scientist's erudition to illuminate, as never before, the magic and mysteries of the human mind.Long treasured by literary readers for her uncommon ability to bridge the gap between art and science, celebrated scholar-artist Diane Ackerman returns with the book she was born to write. Her dazzling new work, An Alchemy of Mind, offers an unprecedented exploration and celebration of the mental fantasia in which we spend our days -- and does for the human mind what the bestselling A Natural History of the Senses did for the physical senses.Bringing a valuable female perspective to the topic, Diane Ackerman discusses the science of the brain as only she can: with gorgeous, immediate language and imagery that paint an unusually lucid and vibrant picture for the reader. And in addition to explaining memory, thought, emotion, dreams, and language acquisition, she reports on the latest discoveries in neuroscience and addresses controversial subjects like the effects of trauma and male versus female brains. In prose that is not simply accessible but also beautiful and electric, Ackerman distills the hard, objective truths of science in order to yield vivid, heavily anecdotal explanations about a range of existential questions regarding consciousness, human thought, memory, and the nature of identity.