Proust and the Squid The Story and Science of the Reading Brain

In the tradition of Stephen Pinker''s The Language Instinct, Tufts University cognitive neuroscientist and child development expert Maryanne Wolf-known for her work in dyslexia-offers an eloquent book about how the brain learned to read and, in the process, changed the way we as humans think. Making the argument that ''Human beings were never born to read,'' Proust and the Squid explains how the brain that examined tiny clay tablets of the Sumerians was a very different brain from the one that is immersed in today''s technology-driven literacy. Not only does Wolf explore the brain throughout the course of time, but she also explores the course of a single child''s life, showing in the process why children with dyslexia have reading difficulties and singular gifts. Using neurology, sociology, psychology and philosophy, Wolf grounds her assertion in historical and scientific fact yet manages to anchor complicated ideas with down-to-earth examples and lively personal anecdotes. Proust and the Squid challenges the way we see the world, or at least the printed page, with an impactful blend of science and culture that is erudite, fascinating, and memorable.

Product details

• Authors: Maryanne Wolf
• Assisted by: Catherine Stoodley (Illustration)
• Publisher: Harper Perennial USA
• Content: Book
• Product form: Paperback / Softback
• Publication date: 26.08.2008
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general)
• EAN: 9780060933845
• ISBN: 978-0-06-093384-5
• Pages: 336
• Dimensions (packing): 13.5 x 20.3 x 1.9 cm
• Series: HarperPerennial; Harper Perennial
• Subjects: Atlas, Marcel Proust, CDs, brain imaging, Literature, Digital Media, Science: general issues, Linguistics, TEACHER, Block, Anatomy, Mom, Her, him, dad, Neurology, book, Writing, Psychology, Neurological, Neuroscience, Health, fluent, Biology, disorder, minneapolis, Proust, Acquisition, neuronal, Processing, History of Science, Fluency, Occupational Therapy, Reference works, Piaget, Biology, life sciences, Social, group or collective psychology, Neurosciences, teacher training, learn, pattern recognition, digital age, neuroplasticity, Comprehension, Morphology, brain plasticity, morphological, Owens, Orton, Critical Thinking, Cognitive Science, Cognitivism, cognitive theory, circuits, SCIENCE: General, SCIENCE: Life Sciences / Biology, SCIENCE: Life Sciences / Neuroscience, COMPOSITION & WRITING: ON LANGUAGE, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES: Linguistics / General, SCIENCE: History, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES: Writing / Fiction Writing, SCIENCE: Cognitive Science, EDUCATION: Teaching Methods & Materials / Reading & Phonics, MEDICAL: Allied Health Services / Occupational Therapy, Cognitive Neuroscience, Tufts University, Teaching of reading, writing and numeracy, Kurzweil, Questionnaire, hieroglyphics, neural pathways, Writing Systems, historical development, Squids, neurons, genes, semantic, capacity, Disabilities, Generative, Sumerians, human history, literacy development, Bermudez, visual processing, Composition & Writing / On Language, Deliberative, phonological, Alphabets, dislexia, Neuroscientist, Brain regions, online information, Cuneiform, Wired, brain organization, brain changes, phonemes, oral culture, whispersync, dyslexics, Brain structures, alphabetic, language research, gyrus, brain processes, Logographic, technology literacy, Digital Screen, correcting, Alphabet evolution, brain scans, language systems, literacy brain development, explicit vocabulary, socrates objections, enter kindergarten, books on brain functions, kirsten potter, neuropsychology cognitive psychology, malcolm gladwell wolf, books on letter patterns, dyslexic son, writing systems evolution, rewires, 32 million, information gained, brain learned, cognitive psychology neuroscience, genetically designed, books on brain sciences, emergent literacy brain development, humans learned, milliseconds, cognitive neuroscience biology, neuropsychology learning disorders, intellectual potential, brain adaptation, brain circuits, books on human brains, orthographic processing brain, unguided, technology literacy impact, neuropsychology education training, books on temporal lobes, humans developed, scientific perspective, age five, brain adaptation literacy, human brainbook, dyslexia strengths creativity