Changes

Many people in the first flush of youth will read this book to find ways of increasing their brain powerbrainpower. Others - like me - at the other end of the age continuum will read because they're looking for ways to restrict or even reverse what they see as deterioration. Both groups might initially be disappointed as the title suggests that the book is about puzzles, but don't give up as the reality is far more useful. This is a book about how our brains ''work'', how the different parts interact or come into play in certain circumstances - and then there are some puzzles directed at improving performance in those areas.

It's a book about memory, perception and cognition. If that sounds rather dry, don't be put off. My background contains nothing which would aid me in reading a book of this type, but I found it an interesting and only occasionally demanding read. It's not 'jargon-free' but there were only a couple of points which I needed to research and the rest was made perfectly clear by the context. By the end of the book , I'd revised a lot of my thinking about ''how'' I thought and had decided to reclassify those areas which I had thought of as failures as areas which might need a little more exercise.

If this book appeals then we can also recommend [[Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks]] or [[Clever Commuter: Puzzles, Tests and Problems to Solve on Your Journey by Dr Gareth Moore]].