Proust Was a Neuroscientist

List Price: $24.00 Discount Price: $12.25

Customer Reviews:

Dumb [Posted on 2008-06-20]
Inane, anachronistic title aside, books like this go to show the desperate lengths people will go to make money off insubstantial, pseudo-intellectual fodder--as if the insights of Proust, couched as they are in his rich prose, could be reduced to the idioms of a dismal science in its infancy. America is a great country, but by providing a leisurely environment for so many uninspired individuals, academia has become so competitive that students and graduates are reduced to drawing ridiculous theses if they are to take an original stance on a given subject. If you really want to understand humanity, read Proust. If you want to read a book that tries to capitalize off remarkable achievements in the study of humanity (like Proust's novel) without making an original or insightful contribution, read this. There's so many books to be read in one's life and such little time... choose wisely.

Wonderful [Posted on 2008-06-20]
First off, I have not read such elegant prose as this in ages. Jonah Lehrer's style effuses artistry. It was incredibly refreshing, but now I thirst for more. Unfortunately, there is only one Jonah Lehrer and few with his skill, at least within the scientific realm. He is able to set music to neurotransmitters and make them dance.

Secondly, not only is there a wide variety of stories here, each and every one is fascinating by itself. Topics range from visual art to music to poetry to writing, weaved together with science ranging from the molecular level all the way up to the systems level. Some of his ideas are not entirely original, but they certainly have been presented in an entirely original way, and in perhaps the most captivating and convincing manner yet.

Truly an excellent book.

Uninspiring [Posted on 2008-07-05]
Its obvious that Lehrer concocted a thesis first and then did everything he could to support it, seemingly doing most of his research with blinders on. I think the best kinds of academic reads are ones that make you feel like the author arrived at his thesis organically and only after completing his research on the given topic. I didn't make it past the 5th essay.

I know my assessment may be redundant considering the already-posted 1 star reviews, but I was shocked by all of the positive reviews (I suspect some are insincere; I've been asked to do as much at a previous job), and wanted to help balance out the scales a bit.

I LOVED IT! [Posted on 2008-07-06]
One of the most thought-provoking books I've read in a long, long time. It really is just a feast of insight. So many unexpected connections...From Whitman's time as a nurse to Proust's writing habits to how Woolf's mental illness impacted her writing. If you are interested in art and science and how they might intersect, a great read!

Refreshing [Posted on 2008-07-16]
I loved it. It made me look at arts, science and philosophy through a new window. The style is engaging, clear and dynamic. I had read the thousands of pages of the "Search of the lost time" in French. Jonah Lehrer gave me a fresh perspective.

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