Review by Choice Review
Anyone who has read Sherlock Holmes's adventures realizes that most people do not think like that. Konnikova suggests that, with considerable effort, such remarkable information processing could be achieved. No wonder near-total recall of relevant information leads Holmes, or Arthur Conan Doyle, to describe the mind as an attic with knowledge all in place and unchanged. The typical mind (aka Watson), of course, has multiple storage mechanisms and loses information through interference, modification, and mislocation. Konnikova takes the attic model and, with an impressive array of contemporary research in cognitive psychology, enriches it and enhances it while suggesting how the many pitfalls of memory can be reduced or overcome. Thanks in part to her mentor Steven Pinker and the mindfulness work of Ellen Langer, she describes techniques that can improve the selection, storage, and eventual use of everyday experience. The book is, however, a source of information well beyond their work. Although the references are available on Konnikova's website, a bibliography would have been convenient. As a popular introduction to the study of the mind, this is an informative, entertaining book that anyone could read with benefit. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. P. L. Derks emeritus, College of William and Mary
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Readers who esteem Sherlock Holmes as superhuman will be pleasantly surprised by Konnikova's first book, wherein the Scientific American columnist makes good on her premise that the average person can indeed train his or her mind to emulate the thinking style of the iconic fictional sleuth. Partial proof comes, in fact, from his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who in a number of cases used Holmesian deduction to rectify real miscarriages of justice. Starting with Holmes's concept of the "brain attic," where care is taken to maximize the use of limited space, Konnikova uses illustrative examples from the original stories to make her points, along the way correcting several misconceptions, pointing out where Holmes went astray, and highlighting his reliance on curiosity and the imagination. She stresses that training one's brain requires "mindfulness and motivation," and elucidates the negative effects of continuous partial attention, a hallmark of today's wired world. (But Konnikova is no Luddite; she observes that while relying on Google can affect one's ability to remember specific facts, it enhances the ability to know where to find them.) Not for Baker Street Irregulars alone, this fascinating look at how the mind works-replete with real-life case studies and engaging thought experiments-will be an eye-opening education for many. B&w photos. Agent: Seth Fishman, the Gernert Agency. (Jan. 7) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Konnikova (The Confidence Game) presents a clever analysis of how the average person can train their mind to emulate the powers of thought and observation of Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. Throughout the discussion of her methods, Konnikova connects illustrative examples from the Holmes stories, including Holmes's concept of a "brain attic" that maximizes the use of limited thinking space, ever-present mindfulness and motivation, shrewd observation, logical deduction, and-particularly relevant in today's always-on wired world-shying away from the negative effects of continuous partial attention. Combining empirical research in neuroscience and psychology, the author explains a new way of learning how the mind works. This work's engaging thought experiments also add appeal to erudite listeners eager to figure out how to help people stop walking into trees and one another while they stare at their phones. Narrator Karen Saltus shines, maintaining listener interest throughout. VERDICT This will appeal to all fans of the timeless Holmes genre and learned listeners with an interest in the intricacies of the human brain. ["Intriguing material and useful advice delivered in an entertaining and original context. Will appeal to Holmes fans and anyone looking to give up distracted multitasking and embrace mindfulness": LJ 2/15/13 starred review of the Viking hc.]-Dale Farris, Groves, TX © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A psychologist's guide to mindful thinking in the vein of Sherlock Holmes. "You see, but you do not observe," says Holmes to Dr. Watson in Arthur Conan Doyle's story "A Scandal in Bohemia." Once again, the ever-sharp fictional detective explains his habits of thought--constant mindfulness, close observation and logical deduction--to his friend and assistant. Drawing on a lifetime immersion in the Holmes tales and the latest findings of neuroscience and psychology, Konnikova, the "Literally Psyched" columnist for Scientific American, debuts with a bright and entertaining how-to aimed at helping readers engage in the awareness described by psychologists from William James to Ellen Langer. Holmes offers "an entire way of thinking," and not just for solving crimes. With practice, writes Konnikova, Holmes' methodology can be learned and cultivated. Describing the workings of the "brain attic," where the thought process occurs, the author explains: "As our thought process begins, the furniture of memory combines with the structure of internal habits and external circumstances to determine which item will be retrieved from storage at any given point." With clear delight, Konnikova offers examples of Holmes' problem-solving, from how he deduces that Watson has been in Afghanistan (A Study in Scarlet) to his use of pipe-smoking ("a three-pipe problem") as a way to create psychological distance from the conundrum in "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League." She notes that walking and meditation can also be useful exercises for clearing the mind. "The most powerful mind is the quiet mind," she writes. Will enthrall Baker Street aficionados while introducing many readers to the mindful way of life.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
