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The must-read brain books of 2019 featured addiction, perception, evolution, sleep, tribalism, artificial intelligence, and the power of emotional communication. The nine books on this list all reveal important, timely insights about who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

This is part two of a two-part list; the first installment is here.

The Nocturnal Brain: Nightmares, Neuroscience, and the Secret World of Sleep

By Guy Leschziner (St. Martins Press)

Well begin the second part of this list with what Im going to call the ultimate neuroscience of sleep book and I say that as someone whos read a few.What separates this book from many others is its practicality. Leschziner is a neurologist and sleep treatment specialist in London and his perspective is colored by real-world experience with patients struggling with their nighttime demons (and thats both figuratively and literally true, as some of his patients suffer from sleep-stealing demonic hallucinations). I can explain to you what coffee does to your brain at night, for example, but reading Leschziners chapter on the topic, based on a series of patient experiences back-dropped by the latest neuroscience, brings the subject into a light that only the best brain books manage to accomplish. Sleep as a health-science topic is reaching something of a saturation point in pop media, so now we need credible, detailed analysis from the perspective of specialists in the field. Thats what this book delivers and its a worthy addition to this years list.

Humanimal: How Homo Sapiens Became Natures Most Paradoxical Creature

By Adam Rutherford (The Experiment)

In the evolution of humanness category comes this brief (204-page) book thats deceptively comprehensive for being so readable. While the material it covers is a mixture of old and new, Rutherfords thesis is refreshing and (more important for anyone debating between books) his treatment of the topic is enjoyable.In a nutshell: are human beings exceptional standouts in the animal world?The list of things we used to think made us exceptional dwindles more all the time (for example, humans are the only self-aware creatures on the planet, right? ...maybe not), and were certainly not the only animals that communicate, cooperate and build together. But our cultures are more complex than any other species, and certain aspects of humanity do separate us from even the most intelligent of species. This is the human paradox, and Rutherford addresses it from several angles with examples (like the peculiarities of human sexuality) that engage and challenge. If this subject is your bag, this quick, gratifying read wont disappoint.

The Human Brain Book: An Illustrated Guide to Its Structure, Function, and Disorders (New Edition)

By Rita Carter (DK: Penguin Random House)

A few years ago I happened upon the first edition of this fantastic brain book by Rita Carter (also the author of two other great brain books, Mapping the Mind and Multiplicity), and was convinced it was the most accessible nuts-and-bolts breakdown of brain function Id seen. With the new edition in hand, Im just as convinced now. Choose any brain topic you can think of and theres a section in this book that walks through it with the latest science captured in readable prose and vivid illustrations. Carter and her co-authors (Susan Aldridge, Martyn Page and Steve Parker) left nothing untouched in this comprehensive volume, plus it has a great glossary to boot. In the one-stop-shop category, this book takes top prize for the year.

Scatterbrain: How The Minds Mistakes Make Humans Creative, Innovative, and Successful

By Henning Beck (Greystone Books)

Finishing this years list, I place this readable yet semi-technical book that argues our perfectionist leanings are totally wrong. Trying to get everything right isnt right, its a misapprehension about how our brains work. For example, forgetting things is annoying, but Beck argues (with ample recent research) that forgetting is one of the ways our brains retain and recall important information. Distraction is irritating and sometimes dangerous, but the science points to significant reasons why were so prone to being distracted by simple things, even as we miss other obvious things right in front of us.Turns out, distraction is linked to creativity in ways that wouldnt occur to us.This book covers a variety of such mistakes we make all the time that the science suggests are key to our innovation, creativity and decision-making ability.If you dont mind finding out that your everyday assumptions are probably wrong (especially if youre a perfectionist) and are open to science-based arguments for changing your thinking, this book may pique your interest and maybe help take the pressure off, if even just a little.

Part one of this list is here.

Read more here:
The Must-Read Brain Books of 2019, Part 2 - Forbes