Reviews
"Karl Deisseroth is already known around the world as a groundbreaking scientist who has pioneered dazzling new techniques for investigating the brain. In this enthralling masterpiece of a book, he demonstrates that he is also a perceptive psychiatrist, as well as a spellbinding writer who beautifully connects the inner feelings within all human beings to deep insights from modern psychiatry and neuroscience." --Robert Lefkowitz, Nobel Laureate "Karl Deisseroth intertwines neuroscience and human stories in a way that is altogether new: technical, lyrical, and deeply compassionate all at once. Through sharing what he's learned as a groundbreaking scientist and a psychiatrist caring for patients with severe illness, he reveals a glimmer of what makes us human. This is a crucial book for anyone who loves science, anyone who loves someone who is suffering from a disorder of the brain, or anyone who, like so many of us, loves both." --Lucy Kalanithi " Projections asks probing questions about some of our most fundamental human traits to shed light on the origins of our emotions. Why, for instance, do we shed tears? How did this show of weakness survive millennia of evolution? Deisseroth writes of heartbreaking and desperate medical cases with a doctor's knowledge and a novelist's skill for narrative. I was fascinated, and could not put this book down." --May-Britt Moser, Nobel Laureate "I find myself at a loss for how to describe this remarkable work. Just as Karl Deisseroth, through his laboratory, has reimagined and literally redefined how we view the human brain, he has reimagined and redefined what literary nonfiction can be, with great elegance. For all of us who write about science for the public, this will be a tough act to follow. It's poetic, mind-stretching, and through it all, deeply human." --Daniel Levitin, author of The Organized Mind "We are living during a revolution in our understanding of the human brain, and Karl Deisseroth has been at the forefront of these advances. This magisterial work, Projections , shows that not only is he one of our leading scientists, but also a gifted writer and storyteller. With precise yet luminous prose, he merges stories of cutting-edge neuroscience with a deep reverence for his patients' humanity." --Neil Shubin, author of Some Assembly Required "Unique and utterly riveting . . . This is a masterpiece written for each and every one of us." --Patricia Churchland, author of Conscience "I've known Karl as a colleague, a scientist whose discoveries in the lab have been breathtaking and revolutionary. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised to discover he's also a stunning writer . . . Projections is a tour de force. " --Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone, "Karl Deisseroth is already known around the world as a groundbreaking scientist who has pioneered dazzling new techniques for investigating the brain. In this enthralling masterpiece of a book, he demonstrates that he is also a perceptive psychiatrist, as well as a spellbinding writer who beautifully connects the inner feelings within all human beings to deep insights from modern psychiatry and neuroscience." --Robert Lefkowitz, Nobel Laureate and author of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm "Karl Deisseroth intertwines neuroscience and human stories in a way that is altogether new: technical, lyrical, and deeply compassionate all at once. Through sharing what he's learned as a groundbreaking scientist and a psychiatrist caring for patients with severe illness, he reveals a glimmer of what makes us human. This is a crucial book for anyone who loves science, anyone who loves someone who is suffering from a disorder of the brain, or anyone who, like so many of us, loves both." --Lucy Kalanithi " Projections asks probing questions about some of our most fundamental human traits to shed light on the origins of our emotions. Why, for instance, do we shed tears? How did this show of weakness survive millennia of evolution? Deisseroth writes of heartbreaking and desperate medical cases with a doctor's knowledge and a novelist's skill for narrative. I was fascinated, and could not put this book down." --May-Britt Moser, Nobel Laureate "I find myself at a loss for how to describe this remarkable work. Just as Karl Deisseroth, through his laboratory, has reimagined and literally redefined how we view the human brain, he has reimagined and redefined what literary nonfiction can be, with great elegance. For all of us who write about science for the public, this will be a tough act to follow. It's poetic, mind-stretching, and through it all, deeply human." --Daniel Levitin, author of The Organized Mind "We are living during a revolution in our understanding of the human brain, and Karl Deisseroth has been at the forefront of these advances. This magisterial work, Projections , shows that not only is he one of our leading scientists, but also a gifted writer and storyteller. With precise yet luminous prose, he merges stories of cutting-edge neuroscience with a deep reverence for his patients' humanity." --Neil Shubin, author of Some Assembly Required "Unique and utterly riveting . . . This is a masterpiece written for each and every one of us." --Patricia Churchland, author of Conscience "I've known Karl as a colleague, a scientist whose discoveries in the lab have been breathtaking and revolutionary. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised to discover he's also a stunning writer . . . Projections is a tour de force. " --Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone, "Because of his experiences as a physician and researcher, Dr. Deisseroth recognizes the limitations of science and medicine and the transcendent value of elemental human connection. . . . In life's most difficult moments, it might be everything." -- The Wall Street Journal "[A] scintillating and moving analysis of the human brain and emotions . . . A great read." -- Nature "[Karl Deisseroth's] imaginative narrative flows effortlessly. . . . There is a first love of reading and writing and hints of a literary imagination that draws on James Joyce and Toni Morrison. . . . His narratives are always sensitive. . . . An admixture of fact and fiction, reality and imagination, damage and desire." -- Science "Karl Deisseroth is already known around the world as a groundbreaking scientist who has pioneered dazzling new techniques for investigating the brain. In this enthralling masterpiece of a book, he demonstrates that he is also a perceptive psychiatrist, as well as a spellbinding writer who beautifully connects the inner feelings within all human beings to deep insights from modern psychiatry and neuroscience." --Robert Lefkowitz, Nobel Laureate "Karl Deisseroth intertwines neuroscience and human stories in a way that is altogether new: technical, lyrical, and deeply compassionate all at once.This is a crucial book for anyone who loves science, anyone who loves someone who is suffering from a disorder of the brain, or anyone who, like so many of us, loves both." --Lucy Kalanithi " Projections asks probing questions about some of our most fundamental human traits to shed light on the origins of our emotions. Why, for instance, do we shed tears? How did this show of weakness survive millennia of evolution? Deisseroth writes of heartbreaking and desperate medical cases with a doctor's knowledge and a novelist's skill for narrative. I was fascinated, and could not put this book down." --May-Britt Moser, Nobel Laureate "We are living during a revolution in our understanding of the human brain, and Karl Deisseroth has been at the forefront of these advances. This magisterial work, Projections , shows that not only is he one of our leading scientists, but also a gifted writer and storyteller. With precise yet luminous prose, he merges stories of cutting-edge neuroscience with a deep reverence for his patients' humanity." --Neil Shubin, author of Some Assembly Required "Unique and utterly riveting . . . This is a masterpiece written for each and every one of us." --Patricia Churchland, author of Conscience "I've known Karl as a colleague, a scientist whose discoveries in the lab have been breathtaking and revolutionary. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised to discover he's also a stunning writer . . . Projections is a tour de force. " --Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone "An engaging, accessible blend of psychology and science, which sets itself apart with Deisseroth's lyrical writing and the empathy of his storytelling." -- Library Journal (starred review), "Because of his experiences as a physician and researcher, Dr. Deisseroth recognizes the limitations of science and medicine and the transcendent value of elemental human connection. . . . In life's most difficult moments, it might be everything." -- The Wall Street Journal "Deisseroth achieves the difficult feat of moving and enlightening the reader at the same time." -- The Guardian "[Karl Deisseroth's] imaginative narrative flows effortlessly. . . . There is a first love of reading and writing and hints of a literary imagination that draws on James Joyce and Toni Morrison. . . . His narratives are always sensitive. . . . An admixture of fact and fiction, reality and imagination, damage and desire." -- Science "Poetic, mind-stretching, and through it all, deeply human." --Daniel Levitin, New York Times bestselling author of The Organized Mind "Karl Deisseroth intertwines neuroscience and human stories in a way that is altogether new: technical, lyrical, and deeply compassionate all at once.This is a crucial book for anyone who loves science, anyone who loves someone who is suffering from a disorder of the brain, or anyone who, like so many of us, loves both." --Lucy Kalanithi " Projections asks probing questions about some of our most fundamental human traits to shed light on the origins of our emotions. Why, for instance, do we shed tears? How did this show of weakness survive millennia of evolution? Deisseroth writes of heartbreaking and desperate medical cases with a doctor's knowledge and a novelist's skill for narrative. I was fascinated, and could not put this book down." --May-Britt Moser, Nobel Laureate "We are living during a revolution in our understanding of the human brain, and Karl Deisseroth has been at the forefront of these advances. This magisterial work, Projections , shows that not only is he one of our leading scientists, but also a gifted writer and storyteller. With precise yet luminous prose, he merges stories of cutting-edge neuroscience with a deep reverence for his patients' humanity." --Neil Shubin, author of Some Assembly Required "Unique and utterly riveting . . . This is a masterpiece written for each and every one of us." --Patricia Churchland, author of Conscience "I've known Karl as a colleague, a scientist whose discoveries in the lab have been breathtaking and revolutionary. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised to discover he's also a stunning writer . . . Projections is a tour de force. " --Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone "An engaging, accessible blend of psychology and science, which sets itself apart with Deisseroth's lyrical writing and the empathy of his storytelling." -- Library Journal (starred review), "Karl Deisseroth is already known around the world as a groundbreaking scientist who has pioneered dazzling new techniques for investigating the brain. In this enthralling masterpiece of a book, he demonstrates that he is also a perceptive psychiatrist, as well as a spellbinding writer who beautifully connects the inner feelings within all human beings to deep insights from modern psychiatry and neuroscience." --Robert Lefkowitz, Nobel Laureate and author of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm "Karl Deisseroth intertwines neuroscience and human stories in a way that is altogether new: technical, lyrical, and deeply compassionate all at once. Through sharing what he's learned as a groundbreaking scientist and a psychiatrist caring for patients with severe illness, he reveals a glimmer of what makes us human. This is a crucial book for anyone who loves science, anyone who loves someone who is suffering from a disorder of the brain, or anyone who, like so many of us, loves both." --Lucy Kalanithi " Projections asks probing questions about some of our most fundamental human traits to shed light on the origins of our emotions. Why, for instance, do we shed tears? How did this show of weakness survive millennia of evolution? Deisseroth writes of heartbreaking and desperate medical cases with a doctor's knowledgee nd a novelist's skill for narrative. I was fascinated, and could not put this book down." --May-Britt Moser, Nobel Laureate "We are living during a revolution in our understanding of the human brain, and Karl Deisseroth has been at the forefront of these advances. This magisterial work, Projections , shows that not only is he one of our leading scientists, but also a gifted writer and storyteller. With precise yet luminous prose, he merges stories of cutting-edge neuroscience with a deep reverence for his patients' humanity." --Neil Shubin, author of Some Assembly Required "Unique and utterly riveting, Projections braids together three skeins from Karl Deisseroth's life: his painstaking clinical experience as a psychiatrist, dedicated to helping patients; his ingenious inventions in biotechnology that have ushered in waves of new insights into how brains work; and his gift as a humble and caring social human being for crafting a spellbinding chronicle. This is a masterpiece written for each and every one of us." --Patricia Churchland, author of Conscience "I've known Karl as a colleague, a scientist whose discoveries in the lab have been breathtaking and revolutionary. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised to discover he's also a stunning writer, his words guiding us to a profound understanding of the nature of human emotions, seamlessly invoking Ovid and optogenetics, Borges and basal ganglia as he takes on this journey. Projections is a tour de force. " --Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone
