The Tell-tale Brain

John, aged sixty, suffered a stroke and recovered fully, except in one respect: although he can see perfectly, he can no longer recognise faces, even his own reflection in a mirror. Whenever Francesca touches a particular texture, she experiences a vivid emotion: denim = extreme sadness; wax = embarrassment; orange peel = shock. Jimmie, whose left arm was recently amputated, can still feel it - and it's itchy. Our brains are the most enchanting and complex things in the known universe - but what happens when they go wrong? Dr V. S. Ramachandran, 'the Sherlock Holmes of brain science' and one of the world's leading neuroscientists, has spent a lifetime working with patients who suffer from rare and baffling brain conditions. In The Tell-Tale Brain, he tells their stories, and explores what they reveal about the greatest mystery of them all: how our minds work, and what makes each of us so uniquely human.

Vilayanur S. Ramachandran is widely held to be the most exciting neuroscientist alive. Director of the Centre for the Brain at the University of California, San Diego, he has received many honours and awards. His previous book, the critically acclaimed Phantoms in the Brain, was the basis for a Channel Four TV series.

"Ramachandran is a latter-day Marco Polo" -- Richard Dawkins "A profoundly intriguing and compelling guide to the intricacies of the human brain." -- Oliver Sachs "Excellent ... I cannot imagine a better account of the sweep of contemporary neuroscience" Financial Times "A leader in his field and an ingenious and tireless researcher. This is the best book of its kind that I have come across" New York Review of Books "A masterpiece. The best of its kind and beautifully crafted." -- Allan Snyder, Frs, Director Of The Centre For The Mind