Top 23 Brainy Books

Did you know that, no matter your age, your brain will probably have new neurons by the end of today? And that some of your decisions will have an impact on that number -- and on how long new and existing neurons survive?

A decade after the so-called "Decade of the Brain" of the 90s, brain research has started to provide spectacular and thought-provoking findings. To help you navigate them, my consulting firm has produced this compilation of the Top 23 Brainy Books, covering a wide variety of topics: explorations of the brain itself, discussions of how to maintain brain health, overall implications on health and education, and more.

For your easy browsing, we have categorized them into seven groups:

1) 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.

- The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind - by Elkhonon Goldberg.

- The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older - by Elkhonon Goldberg.

2) User-friendly scientific books on the brain:
- Best of the Brain from Scientific American: Mind, Matter, and Tomorrow's Brain - by Floyd E. Bloom.

-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.

3) On how to apply all this to education and life:
- Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School - by John Medina.

- Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain - by John J. Ratey and Eric Hagerman.

- 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.

- Enriching the Brain: How to Maximize Every Learner's Potential - by Eric Jensen.

4) On how to apply it to solve other real-world problems:
- Thanks: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier - by Robert Emmons.

- The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person - by Judith Beck.

-Enhancing Trader Performance: Proven Strategies From the Cutting Edge of Trading Psychology - by Brett Steenbarger.

5) With a health/ medical angle:
- The Brain Trust Program: A Scientifically Based Three-Part Plan - by Larry McCleary.

- 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.

6) 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.

7) Good combination of information and activities:

- Building Mental Muscle: Conditioning Exercises for the Six Intelligence Zones - by David Gamon and Allen D. Bragdon.

If you want to learn more about these books and topics, you will enjoy reading what many of those authors say in our SharpBrains' Neuroscience Interview Series and Author Speaks Series.

You will probably hear your brain say, "Thank You!".