“A charming and addictively accessible introduction to neuroscience, featuring a pair of pioneers who have illuminated some of its deepest implications for thought, emotion and psychopathology.” —Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of How the Mind Works and Rationality
“I absolutely love Two Heads.” —Brian Cox, Professor of Particle Physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester
“Beguiling, cheeky, and endlessly thought-provoking... This book will change the ways you think about the ways you think.” — Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity
“Two Heads breaks the mould. It’s a fabulous book ...about the lives and work of a cognitive neuroscience power couple who have illuminated what has come to be called the ‘social brain’...Read it if you are interested in the topic, or if you simply want to have a very enjoyable experience.” —Joseph LeDoux, Professor of Neural Science at New York University, and author of The Deep History of Ourselves
A brilliantly illustrated journey through the wonders and mysteries of the human brain - from a renowned husband-and-wife team of cognitive neuroscientists.
Professors and husband-and-wife team Uta and Chris Frith have pioneered major studies of brain disorders throughout their nearly fifty-year career. In Two Heads, their distinguished careers serve as a prism through which they share the compelling story of the birth of neuroscience and their paradigm-shifting discoveries across areas as wide-ranging as autism and schizophrenia research, and new frontiers of social cognition including diversity, prejudice, confidence, collaboration and empathy.
Working with their son Alex Frith and artist Daniel Locke, they examine the way that neuroscientific research is now focused on the fact we are a social species, whose brains have evolved to work cooperatively. What happens when people gather in groups? How do people behave when they're in pairs - either pitted against each other or working together? Is it better to surround yourself with people who are similar to yourself, or different? And, are two heads really better than one?
Highly original and ingeniously illustrated, Two Heads provides an expansive understanding of how our brains work, and how they work together.