Mind Wide Open

Steven Johnson, a science writer, treats his own mind as the laboratory. He sits through a series of attention tests, tries to steer a video game by changing his brain waves, and has his head scanned by a fMRI machine that cost about two million dollars. His aim is to find a contemporary way to address an old question: who am I? The book examines the chemicals, structures and automatic processes that make up the brain, and how they shape ordinary life.

The chapters cover a wide range of ground. Johnson looks at how people read one another's emotions, how the brain handles frightening experiences and whether its effects can be eased, the chemistry of love and sex, the link between the brain's own chemicals and recreational drugs, why music can bring on tears, and where creative insights come from. Throughout, he explains the physical workings of the brain in accessible terms, showing how they relate to natural strengths and weaknesses, fears and desires, and the moment-to-moment brain activity that makes up a life.

The book also raises everyday puzzles, such as why we sometimes smile at a sad story even when we do not want to, or why some people forget phone numbers yet recognize faces easily. Its larger argument is that brain science can change how readers understand their families, their own histories and their sense of self, and can help them build better relationships and live better.