Fascinating books on neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to rewire itself through experience):
Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves - by Sharon Begley.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science - by Norman Doidge.
Great popular science books by our Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor:
The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind - by Elkhonon Goldberg (Interview notes here).
The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older - by Elkhonon Goldberg.
User-friendly scientific books on the brain:
Best of the Brain from Scientific American: Mind, Matter, and Tomorrow's Brain by Floyd E. Bloom (Review here).
A User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain - by John J. Ratey.
In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind - by Eric Kandel.
Mapping the Mind - by Rita Carter.
Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind - by V. S. Ramachandran.
Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide To Stress, Stress Related Diseases, and Coping - by Robert M. Sapolsky.
On how to apply all this to education and learning:
Magic Trees of the Mind: How to Nurture Your Child's Intelligence, Creativity, and Healthy Emotions from Birth Through Adolescence - by Marian Diamond and Janet Hopson.
The Art of Changing the Brain: Enriching the Practice of Teaching by Exploring the Biology of Learning
- by James Zull (Interview notes here).
Enriching the Brain: How to Maximize Every Learner's Potential
On how to apply cognitive and positive psychology to solve other real-world problems:
Thanks: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier - by Robert Emmons (Interview notes here).
The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person
Enhancing Trader Performance: Proven Strategies From the Cutting Edge of Trading Psychology - by Brett Steenbarger (Interview Notes here).
With a health/medical angle:
The Brain Trust Program: A Scientifically Based Three-Part Plan
The Memory Prescription: Dr. Gary Small's 14-Day Plan to Keep Your Brain and Body Young - by Gary Small.
Brain Longevity: The Breakthrough Medical Program that Improves Your Mind and Memory - by Dharma Singh Khalsa.
Reference manual:
The Dana Guide to Brain Health: A Practical Family Reference from Medical Experts by Floyd E. Bloom, M. Flint Beal, and David J. Kupfer (Review here).
Good combination of information and activities:
Building Mental Muscle: Conditioning Exercises for the Six Intelligence Zones - by David Gamon and Allen D. Bragdon.
For other brain-related books, The Dana Foundation offers a comprehensive annotated list. And remember you can download our complimentary eBook by clicking on the title and subscribing to our free monthly newsletter:
Brain Fitness 101 eGuide - by Elkhonon Goldberg and Alvaro Fernandez.
