The Private Life of the Brain Emotions, Consciousness, and the Secret of the Self

How does the human brain produce your private world? Critically acclaimed neuroscientist and author Susan Greenfield, who holds the prestigious position of Director of the Royal Institution in England, weaves together a thought-provoking examination of childhood experiences, primal emotions, such as fear and euphoria, and the effects drugs have on our personalities to probe the most intriguing mystery facing today's scientists: How does the human brain create consciousness and a unique sense of self? In this absorbing, lyrical exploration, Dr. Greenfield presents a provocative new theory that treats emotions as the building blocks of our consciousness and provides an illuminating glimpse into the human brain that reveals the astonishing essence of who we are.

SUSAN GREENFIELD, M.A., D.Phil., D.Sc., C.B.E., is the first female director of Britain’s Royal Institution, which was established in 1799 to "diffuse science for common purposes of life." She is also a Fellow of Lincoln College and Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University, where she conducts research into the causes of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Her previous books include Journey to the Centers of the Mind: Toward a Science of Consciousness, The Human Mind Explained, and The Human Brain: A Guided Tour, which has been translated into fourteen languages.