Scatterbrain : how the mind's mistakes make humans creative, innovative, and successful /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

"[This] book will convince you that forgetting helps you remember and distractions can make you more creative." --Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take , and host of TED's WorkLife podcast

"Illuminating, and a joy to read, [Scatterbrain] offers ... a refreshingly accessible and relatable take on the brain's inner workings that should appeal to both science buffs and casual readers." -- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

In this mind-bending book, an esteemed neuroscientist explains why perfectionism is pointless--and argues that mistakes, missteps, and flaws are the keys to success.

Remember that time you screwed up simple math or forgot the name of your favorite song? What if someone told you that such embarrassing "brain farts" are actually secret weapons, proof of your superiority to computers and AI?

In Scatterbrain , we learn that boredom awakens the muse, distractions spark creativity, and misjudging time creates valuable memories, among other benefits of our faulty minds. Throughout, award-winning neuroscientist Henning Beck's hilarious asides and brain-boosting advice make for delightful reading of the most cutting-edge neuroscience our brains will (maybe never) remember.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Introduction (p. 1)
• 1 Forgetting (p. 7)
• Why You Won't Remember the Contents of This Book-Thereby Retaining the Most Important Information
• 2 Learning (p. 23)
• Why We Are Bad at Rote Learning, but Better at Understanding the World
• 3 Memory (p. 49)
• Why a False Memory Is Better Than None at All
• 4 Blackout (p. 71)
• Why We Choke under Pressure and the Secret Formula for Fending Off Stage Fright
• 5 Time (p. 91)
• Why We Always Misjudge It-Thereby Forging Valuable Memories
• 6 Boredom (p. 111)
• Why We Have Trouble Switching Ourselves Off-and How Daydreams Evoke the Muse
• 7 Distraction (p. 129)
• Why We Are So Flighty and Which Distractions Can Lead to More Creativity
• 8 Mathematics (p. 151)
• Why the Brain Calculates Best Without Numbers
• 9 Decisions (p. 175)
• Why We Risk Too Much-Yet Still Choose Wisely
• 10 Selection (p. 197)
• Why Selecting Is So Agonizing-and How We Still Manage to Choose the Best Option
• 11 Pigeonholing (p. 215)
• How Prejudices Can Help Us, How They Can Harm Us-and How to Avoid Stereotypical Pitfalls
• 12 Motivation (p. 235)
• How Our Inner Deadbeat Holds Us Back-and How We Can Inspire Others
• 13 Creativity (p. 259)
• Why We Can't Be Innovative at the Push of a Button-Yet We Always Have New Thoughts
• 14 Perfectionism (p. 287)
• Why We Need Mistakes in Order to Improve
• Notes (p. 311)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Neuroscientist Beck reveals how the brain's faults actually enhance its functionality in this delightful study. These integral flaws and errors "mask the hidden strengths of our brain," even as they create false memories, lead to math errors, and stymie decision-making. In a friendly and colloquial voice, with examples drawn from popular iconography and everyday life, Beck cites current research in neuropsychology to explain various mental phenomena--for example, why humans forget names and faces, how they learn from mistakes, and why they aren't adept at rote learning but understand the way the world works. A lively discussion about creativity shows why people are rarely innovative on demand but can generate new ideas that are neither planned nor regulated. Readers will come to appreciate how the brain's disorderly operating system is an advantage, and that being imperfect is what gives rise to new ideas, as Beck sums up when he pinpoints "the unique characteristic of human thought that it is not flawless and exact." Illuminating, and a joy to read, this offers, in comparison to other recent neuroscience titles, a refreshingly accessible and relatable take on the brain's inner workings that should appeal to both science buffs and casual readers. (Oct.)

Booklist Review

German neuroscientist, author, speaker, and ""Science Slammer"" Beck proves that science is cool. This book is an engaging exploration of the brain and its workings, particularly how things we often identify as failures or mistakes actually serve to showcase the complexity and durability of our brains, and allow us to stretch our understanding of what the mind is really capable of. The approachable text is broken up into sections with headings that move readers through the material easily, and is at times very funny. Beck further bolsters the book with frequent exercises for readers to test out the functions he discusses. Beck is definitely a scientist of the people and his approach ensures that all readers can glean something intriguing from this book's pages, while those interested in scientific topics or the way our brain works will particularly enjoy it. A robust notes section encourages interested readers to dig deeper in the sources consulted for the book.--Erin Renee Wahl Copyright 2010 Booklist

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Henning Beck received his PhD in neuroscience from the Graduate School of Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, and holds an international diploma in Project Management from the University of California Berkeley. He is a frequent lecturer, workshop leader, science slam speaker, and consultant on topics such as neuroscience and creativity.