A brain’s tale by Bhanav N S
Non fiction reference book for all ages! Written by a thirteen year old kid!
Rating- 5/5! No surprises there!
No spoilers of course since there is no murder mystery to solve though if I had not told you that this has been written by a 13 year old kid, you would have never guessed it!
The novel starts with an amazing introduction and forward of a child prodigy!
A Brainiac like Bhanav can only be impressed by another amazing thing! Our brain!
The first chapter is a brief introduction on the anatomy and parts of the Brain! As a Medical student would do, Bhanav first writes about the structure of brain throwing in some stories and trivia about Broca and Broadmann!
Then he talks about physiology and two brains! Similar to Daniel Karniege’s theory of thinking fast and slow; he gives examples in similar lines.
He then writes about Cognitive ease and Biases and I am wondering how a thirteen year old kid knows such complex stuff! In spite of being a medical student and a doctor in Goverment College later on; I am sure all these were beyond my cognition when I was 13!
In a typical word of a Prodigy; he starts with a sentence like, “As fancy as this term sounds, cognitive ease is simple!”. Only for a brilliant kid like Bhanav that much I am sure!
He tells about Dunning Kruger effect which is Bhanav’s way of telling that little knowledge is a dangerous thing! This was part of his discussion of Bias! My opinion now that this is brilliant is absolutely Unbiased since it is the truth!
Another chapter discusses about faces and brain and even this is loaded with trivia and scientific facts and pictures! Fun to read and loads to learn!
Like any other normal kid who reads a lot; the constant Harry Potter references show that he is a Potter enthusiast! Before you think, “nice, another normal kid!”; remember that he also quotes lines from those novels verbatim!
One chapter he talks about Colours which was my favorite chapter since though black and white sketching is my passion, colours are the best!
In another chapter the normal Bhanav tells about Placebo effect while the brilliant one tells about Noecebo effect!
Another chapter he tells about fear, phobia and amygdala! Just like that!
Of course with frequent Harry Potter references and as an exception he tells about Anabelle and the shining! Scary stuff even for me but a walk in the park for Bhanav!
Another chapter informs us about conformity and Bandwagon effect and finally the By stander effect! very interesting and informative to say the least!
In the chapter about time, Bhanav discusses about how vacation goes so quickly and about chronoception! and finally oddball effect! You must read these to enjoy and learn and how!
Chapter 10 is about how we read which is an extension of chapter 2. How its better to read in lower cases. Simply brilliant in any case!
The next chapter is on pain and phantom limb and Mirror box therapy and what not! Then he mentions about tickling and literally tickles your brain with his amazing one!
The chapter on Numbers like every other chapter in this amazing book is very well researched and thought provoking and intellectually stimulating!
The chapter on Brain starts like every other chapter with a quote which is mostly intellectual though he adds a Harry Potter quote once in a while! This chapter tells about the types of brain making me at least happy that I have one! and sad that its just normal and not a splendid one like the one which Bhanav has! The apt conclusion by him is, ‘if our brain was so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn’t’!
His chapter on memories give you deep insight and really make you think and hopefully remember!
Finally his list of references would give you a small idea of how well read this thirteen year old child is!
All in all a brilliant work by a brilliant mind! A bright future awaits this young scientist and am sure even a Nobel Prize!
Grab it with both hand and gain some knowledge on the way!
My brain is already wiser after reading this!
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