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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.
Uta Frith, an expert on both autism and dyslexia, has been ranked one of the most eminent research psychologists of the modern era and currently serves as the President of the British Science Association. Christopher Frith, psychologist and professor emeritus at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, has been ranked among the ten most influential brain scientists of the modern era. He is a pioneer in the use of brain imaging and was a senior member of the team that discovered enlargement of the hippocampus in the brains of London taxi drivers. Their son, Alex Frith, is a publisher and writer at Usborne Publishing. Daniel Locke is a Brighton-based artist and comics creator who has worked with Arts Council England, the Wellcome Trust and the National Trust.
"Joyful and fabulously original [...] Have I ever read anything like it before? No, I'm certain that I haven't. Each page is a visual delight [...] It's extremely easy to read and often very funny. And yet you finish it with your mind blown. Simply by virtue of the fact that it makes some pretty cutting-edge brain science seem almost straightforward, it subtly expands the world of the reader"
– Observer
"Neither simplifies nor trivialises the way the human brain works [...] An enlightening, inspirational scientific voyage that highlights the importance of collaboration"
– Kirkus
"[A] comprehensive graphic guide to the workings of the brain [...] Chock-full of science facts [...] The work overall has the feel of being invited to dinner with a friend's eccentric genius parents"
– Publisher's Weekly
"A marriage of neuroscience and art which delivers deep insight into the workings of our brains and how we live together as human beings. Original, authoritative and beautiful"
– Brian Cox
"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
"You could not ask for two more inspiring tour guides to take you on a tour of your brain. This is a brilliant introduction to the mysteries of why we are and how we are. It is fascinating and at times disturbing, but it is also the most wonderful adventure"
– Robin Ince
"A fantastically fun way to learn about the brain, the mind and the lives of two of the world's most brilliant scientists"
– Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Professor of Psychology at the University of Cambridge and author of Inventing Ourselves
"I have never seen anything like this. It is an engaging story of the careers – and the love affair – of two of the world's leading cognitive neuroscientists. It is a witty and accessible introduction to the brain and how it works. It is a cutting-edge exploration of issues such as schizophrenia, autism, prejudice, and empathy. Oh, and it's also an absolutely beautiful graphic novel. Two Heads is a triumph and a delight"
– Paul Bloom, Professor of Psychology at University of Toronto and author of The Sweet Spot
"Beguiling, cheeky and endlessly thought-provoking [...] This book will change the ways you think about the ways you think"
– Steve Silberman, author of Neurotribes
"Two Heads breaks the mold. 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
"Tell[s] the story of their love affair with neuroscience – and with each other"
– i
