Proust and the Squid : The Story and Science of the Reading Brain
Author(s): Maryanne Wolf
“Wolf restores our awe of the human brain—its adaptability, its creativity, and its ability to connect with other minds through a procession of silly squiggles.” — San Francisco Chronicle
How do people learn to read and write—and how has the development of these skills transformed the brain and the world itself ? Neuropsychologist and child development expert Maryann Wolf answers these questions in this ambitious and provocative book that chronicles the remarkable journey of written language not only throughout our evolution but also over the course of a single child’s life, showing why a growing percentage have difficulty mastering these abilities.
With fascinating down-to-earth examples and lively personal anecdotes, Wolf asserts that the brain that examined the tiny clay tablets of the Sumerians is a very different brain from the one that is immersed in today’s technology-driven literacy, in which visual images on the screen are paving the way for a reduced need for written language—with potentially profound consequences for our future.
Review(s):
“For everyone who has wondered how reading and writing happen, here is an entertaining, comprehensive, delightfully clear account of how our brain allowed us to become word magicians. A splendid achievement!”
“Wolf’s intriguing combination of linguistic history, sociology, psychology, and neuroscience is engaging and clear. The figures and illustrations as well as the wonderful literary quotes enrich her readable prose...Recommended.”
“[Maryanne Wolf] displays extraordinary passion and perceptiveness concerning the reading brain, its miraculous achievements and tragic dysfunctions.”
“Everything Wolf says makes sense....She clearly knows her stuff.”
“Wolf restores our awe of the human brain its adaptability, its creativity and its ability to connect with other minds through a procession of silly squiggles.”
“Brilliant and eye-opening.”
“[Proust and the Squid] rises from a merely professional tome to a personal and highly accessible project.”
“Brilliant and eye-opening.”
“Wolf’s knowledge of and appreciation for her subject are apparent....fascinating....Wolf restores our awe of the human brain its adaptability, its creativity and its ability to connect with other minds through a procession of silly squiggles.”
“[Wolf’s] conversational style, reflective comments and insights from work with children...create a narrative flow and bright tone.”
ISBN: 9780060933845