The Emotional Brain: Lost and Found in the Science of Emotion

by Dean Burnett

Happy, sad, angry, glad—why do we cry when we’re ecstatic or mad? A fascinating look at the science of emotion Emotions can be a pain. After his father died of Covid, Dean Burnett found himself wondering what it would be like to live without emotion. And so, he decided to put his feelings under the microscope—for science. With his trademark humour, Burnett takes us on an incredible journey of discovery, stretching from the origins of life to the ends of the universe. Along the way, he reveals why we would ever follow our gut; whether things really were better in the old days; why it’s so hard to stop doomscrolling; how sad music can make us happier; why we can’t think straight when hungry; the point of nightmares; and why it is virtually impossible to forget embarrassing memories.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Science, Neuroscience, Emotion, Education, Brain

416 pages, Paperback

Published May 9, 2023

About the author

Dean Burnett is a neuroscientist and psychiatry lecturer at the Centre for Medical Education at Cardiff University and is the author of the Guardian’s most-read science blog, Brain Flapping. He lives in Cardiff.

The following is from his website:

This is the website for Doctor Dean Burnett, neuroscientist, lecturer, author, blogger, media pundit, science communicator, comedian and numerous other things, depending on who’s asking and what they need.

Although employed as a tutor and lecturer by the Cardiff University Centre for Medical Education in his day job, Dean is best known for his satirical science column ‘Brain Flapping‘ at the Guardian, and his internationally acclaimed debut book ‘The Idiot Brain‘.

Dean Burnett was born and raised in Pontycymer, a working-class former mining village in the South Wales valleys, which explains his strong Welsh accent. After completing his A-levels he attended Cardiff University to complete a BSc in Neuroscience. After working several jobs he returned to Cardiff University as part of the Psychology School where he completed a neuroscience PhD in the role of the hippocampus in configural learning.

Alongside his studying, Dean developed an interest in comedy, eventually taking the plunge and trying stand-up in 2004, a hobby he maintains to this day. His interest in comedy and science lead to him combining the two and attempt to write humorous takes on topical science stories. This eventually resulted in a regular blog on the Guardian website in 2012, which is still going strong today.

Dean lives in Cardiff with his wife and children.

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

A neuroscientist's guide to emotions, mediated through his grief at his father's death of Covid during
lockdown. Interesting and well written, and a useful reminder to acknowledge and examine your emotions to see how they influence you.

The ebook is poorly formatted on Kobo at least: full of stray tabs, sometimes several on a page, which is annoyingly distracting

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Mr Burnett’s first two books whilst working in a situation where they had a direct and immediate impact on the work that I did. This time it was more for pure enjoyment (must say here that in terms of pure enjoyment, the audio book is so wonderfully narrated and produced that this enjoyment is greatly enhanced).

I was a little worried at the start that the personal aspect of this would detract. It doesn’t, it’s a rather convenient hook. And I must say, I lost my father around the same time as Mr Burnett. It helped me too.

Wonderful. Read it if you need to or if you don’t!

[Mariam Gawwad · Rating 1 out of 5]

خليني أقول النجمة دي لصراحة الكاتب اللي قال كنت ملتزم بكتاب مع دار نشر ولما أبويا مات قولت اتكلم عن العواطف .. كتاب العامة اللي هما أنا خبايا علم العواطف اللي محيرك ولا فيه اي معلومة مفيدة ! الدموع بتريح لا لا مكنتش اعرف بجد.

جائزة تاني اسوأ دار نشر بعد كيان لعصير الكتب السنادي كلها كتب تجارية

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this one more in depth, slightly harder going that his previous books. It also made me stop & think quite a but more. I think this is a useful read, especially if you have recently experienced grief or other emotional turmoil.

[Honey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot more to explore in terms of connecting neuroscience and emotional intelligence. This book tried to explain the links and interdependence while giving anecdotal prose based on the author's grief. Felt a bit like catharsis, albeit I didn't think it was as relatable as I thought it would be. Then again that says a lot about emotional quotient doesn't it?

[Yehyeon Cho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional Ignorance - Lost and Found in the Science of Emotion

by

Dean Burnett


We often see emotions portrayed as the irrational counterpart to clear thinking, as if it were merely a weakness, perhaps even an unfortunate evolutionary relic that renders us helpless in the face of ruthless and conscious AI (maybe I’ve watched too much Scifi). But that’s just not an inaccurate representation, but ignores the many important processes in our brains that are dependent on the very existence of emotions and the healthy regulation thereof.

Our capacity for emotions is the foundation on which we build, maintain and develop social and parasocial relationships. It is, in part, what allows for altruism and other seemingly impossible acts of sacrifice even at a high personal cost and also the reason behind the immense pain caused by the loss of a loved one.

Even the formation of memories and their efficient recollection is heavily influenced by emotions. It’s emotions that allow us to sort through the never ending stream of sensory input and retrospectively assign meaning and weight to individual memories. This is why certain events will not only be remembered differently, but in different light, when you learn of new relevant information.

Technology connects people and allows us to communicate with the world. Social media gives everyone a platform to express themselves and share moments with those dear to us. These are arguably good developments.

But the internet also insulates us from dissenting opinions and allows us to find people that agree with us, no matter what it may be. In this way irrational fears can grow, because there is social recognition and approval (which our brains equate with evidence) for any idea from within the respective internet communities.

There is no dichotomous divide between rational and irrational, emotionless and emotional, in the brain, neither anatomically nor functionally. Understanding emotions and the broader role they play is crucial to an accurate and scientific understanding of how we think.

A great read. Can definitely recommend to anyone with any remote interest in neuroscience.

[Eman · Rating 2 out of 5]

أستطيع أن ألخص الكتاب كله بمقالٍ واحد دون أن أسقط أية فكرة أو معلومة، هذا دليل أنّ الكاتب أكثر من اللغط واللغو، في لحظاتٍ كثيرة تمنيت أن يصمت فحسب ويريح رأسي من لغوه

+الترجمة تحتاجُ لجهدٍ أكبر
لم تُصغ الكلمات باللغة العربية إنّما ظلّت بذلك التقطع الأجنبي للجمل إنما مترجمة فقط، على مترجمي هذه الأيّام أن يفمهوا أنّ الترجمة ليست نقل الكلمة الأجنبية إلى العربية فحسب

[Nourah · Rating 3 out of 5]

تجذبني طريقة كتابة هذا العالم بشكل كبير، انصح بقراءته وبشدة ربما يرى البعض ان الكتاب ليس بتلك الجودة نظرًا لان الكاتب كان يمر بفتره صعبه "وفاة والده" لكني أرى ان ما جعل هذا الكتاب يخرج بهذه الصوره والنتيجة المبهره هو ما حدث لوالده وهذا ما جعله يفهم الغباء العاطفي الذي مر به وشاركنا الاسباب والتفسيرات والاحداث

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Really enjoyed it throughout. The writing is great – he has a gift for metaphors to make some of the complicated topics easy to understand.

I recommend this book for men, since we are typically the ones with an emotional deficit (We think!)

[RandomReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

احتجت إلى حوالي عام لأستطيع الانتهاء من قراءة الكتاب، مما يؤثر حتما على تقييمي له، خاصة مع شعوري بنسيان ما سبق كلما كنت أعود لاستكماله. للأسف قراءة هذا الكتاب لم تكن تجربة ممتعة على عكس كتاب "المخ الأبله" للكاتب نفسه، فهنا شعرت بالملل في أغلب الأحيان، كما لم أشعر بأن الكتاب يصلح للعامة، بل يحتاج إلى ثقافة طبية مسبقة.

لم أحب هنا التفسير العلمي الصرف لكل أفعال ومشاعر الإنسان الذي يميز كتابات د. دين برنيت، فهذا في رأيي لا يدع المجال للإرادة الحرة للإنسان. على سبيل المثال في صفحة ١٩٠ عندما كان يتحدث عن تأثير الأوكسيتوسين في الجسم، ثم برر غضبه من الناس لعدم مشاركتهم إياه حزنه عند موت أبيه بتأثير الأوكسيتوسين. كذلك عندما تحدث عن تأثير الفازوبريسين في صفحة ١٩٧ ودوره في حماية الأم لصغارها.

"كثيرًا ما يُقال إن أخطر فرد في أي نوع من الكائنات -أو من الثدييات على الأقل- هو أُم تحمي صغارها. ولا شك أن الفازوبريسين جزء كبير من السبب."

وهنا أتسائل عند تبني هذه الطريقة العلمية الصرفة في التفكير والتحليل، أين نضع الخط الفاصل؟ فسوف نجد دائما تفسيرات علمية ومواد كيميائية تُفرز في الجسم لتبرير أفعال القتلة أو المتحرشين على سبيل المثال.

أخيرا لا أنكر أن قراءة الكتاب كانت تجربة مفيدة، وأنني أحببت قراءة الجزء الخامس عن العلاقات العاطفية بشكل خاص.

[Adelyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

The playing with psychology between the author and the reader starts from even the title of this one - swinging from the more typical "Emotional Intelligence" to "Emotional Ignorance", and I thought Burnett did a good job of narrating how and why humans are actually more of the latter than the former, despite emotions having evolved as an advanced trait. This book was written in the aftermath of his losing his father to COVID19, during the pandemic/lockdown, and I think his frame of mind is reflected in the writing. For me it worked well, I thought it lent flavour to the narration and prevented the science parts from getting too dry, but equally I can see how someone who was more affected by COVID19 than me (who was very lucky on multiple fronts) may find the continued reference to it triggering.

The hook continues well into the questions that are posed as part of the blurb on the back, and albeit in a slightly roundabout way, these are well answered during the course of the book. As someone who reads a lot of scientific literature, my bar is high for public science - and there is a very particular sweet spot that I look for, a balance between technicality and readability - that this one hit quite well. That being said, it did feel a bit more of a diary in parts, as though writing this book was the author's equivalent of screaming into a void, which worked well initially but got a bit tiresome towards the end. I also felt that the book seemed to lose structure as the chapters wore on, I thought Chapters 5 and 6 had a tendency to off on one too many random tangents.

The structure resumed in the Conclusion though, which I thought pulled the book together well, thus bumping my score back up a little.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

OKAY lots of thoughts on this one. It covered a lot of questions that I had which drew me to the book in the first place - including the emotional gymnastics actors
have to do. I wish some of the language was more inclusive but also I think Burnett does a great job covering a very scientific topic in an accessible way. I’m curious to check out some of the additional books he mentioned!

[szubes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn’t get through the first chapter, honestly exhausting to read

[Jessie Mohamed · Rating 1 out of 5]

اسم الكتاب: الغباء العاطفي
اسم الكاتب: دين برنيت
عدد الصفحات: 375

في البداية، أحب أن أوضح أن الكاتب – كما ذكر – كان مرتبطًا بعقد مع دار نشر أثناء كتابة هذا الكتاب، ويبدو أنه كان مضطرًا لإنهائه. المعضلة ليست في إجباره على الكتابة، بل في التوقيت، حيث صادف وفاة والده خلال جائحة كورونا، وهي فترة كانت صعبة عليه جدًا، مما انعكس على أسلوب الكتاب الذي – بصراحة – يفتقر إلى الروح الحقيقية للكاتب.

الكتاب يفتقر إلى المعلومة الدقيقة التي تعكس عنوانه، سواء كان من اختيار الكاتب أو دار النشر. ومن وجهة نظري، يبدو أنه أداة ترويجية هدفها الأساسي الربح. حتى إن قرأه طبيب – حسب رأي طبيبة استشرتها أثناء قراءتي – سيلاحظ سطحية المحتوى. وأنا كقارئة عادية، شعرت بالشيء نفسه، وكان رأيي ورأي الطبيبة متطابقًا.

الكتاب مقسَّم إلى ستة فصول:

الفصل الأول: أساسيات العواطف
من أين تأتي العاطفة؟ ولماذا نشعر بها؟
يتحدث الكاتب عن كيفية استقبال الجسم للمؤثرات (مثل العين)، مثالًا: إذا اقترب منك كلب، سترسل العين إشارات إلى الدماغ تجعلك تشعر بالخوف، فيصدر المخ رد فعل… وقد لا يصدر.

الفصل الثاني: المشاعر في مواجهة الأفكار
هل تؤثر العواطف على أفكارنا ومداركنا؟
العقل والعاطفة وجهان لعملة واحدة، كل منهما يؤثر في الآخر، وإذا اختل أحدهما، يحدث خلل .

الفصل الثالث: الذكريات العاطفية
الدماغ يخزن الذكريات القديمة والجديدة، والعاطفة تلعب دورًا كبيرًا في إعادة تشكيلها.
مثلًا: إذا مررت بحالة فقد، فحتى الذكريات السعيدة قد تتحول إلى حزينة.
العاطفة هي البؤرة التي تتجمع فيها كل الذكريات، وهي التي تحدد ما إذا كانت تلك الذكريات إيجابية أو سلبية.

الفصل الرابع: التواصل العاطفي
كيف نتعاطف مع الآخرين؟ كيف نعبّر عن مشاعرنا؟
وما هي عدوى المشاعر التي تنتقل من شخص لآخر دون وعي؟

الفصل الخامس: العلاقات العاطفية
يتناول علاقة الوالدين بالطفل، ودور هرمون الأوكسيتوسين.
كما يناقش الفروق بين المرأة والرجل: هل فعلًا المرأة عاطفية والرجل عقلاني؟
والفرق بين الحب و الجنس؟ وهل هناك خرافات نصدقها عن العلاقات؟

الفصل السادس: التقنيات العاطفية
كيف تؤثر السوشيال ميديا على عواطف الإنسان؟
هل أصبحنا نعيش في عالم تتحكم فيه مواقع التواصل في مشاعرنا؟ وهل هذا التأثير سلبي أم إيجابي؟

تقييمي: 1/5

[Snoakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional ignorance is a well thought out, meticulously researched investigation into how much is known about our emotions, how they work and what they are for.

When his father died during the Covid 19 pandemic, Dean Burnett was understandably overcome with grief. But unlike most people, he questioned these intense feelings and set out to discover more. Why do emotions often have such physical effects on our bodies? Do our emotions really get in the way of rational thought? Why do certain smells trigger emotional memories?

What he found out is that science is only just beginning to understand emotions. To start with, they are impossible to define, and how can you study something if you can't even say what it is?

With his trademark humour, he pieces together the latest research, interviews and anecdotes. He explores four main areas where our emotions impact the way we behave: cognition, memory, communication and relationships, finishing with a chapter on how technology can help and hinder our emotional life. It's fascinating stuff and far more complex than you might think. With the use of some imaginative analogies, Dean Burnett makes it all understandable and entertaining.

[Zahra Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

هل تعلم أن العواطف نشأت في البداية بسبب حاجة الأدمفة المُبكرة إلى معرفة الطريقة المُناسبة للاستجابة للتغيرات في البيئة المُحيطة وهذا يجعل العواطف بعيدة كُل البُعد عن كونها زوائد لا حاجة لها من العملية التطورية ، بل هي غيرتنا وشكلت مظهرنا الخارجي وفهمنا للأشياء والذكريات التي نخلقها على مدى ملايين السنين وأن هذه العواطف تتبدل وتتغير مع الوقت وتختلف بشدة من شخص إلى شخصٍ آخر وبذلك يمكنها ان تغير آرائنا حتى وإن كان إلى رأي غير منطقي فتغير فهمنا للواقع تغييرًا جيدًا كان أم سيئًا فهي تستطيع إجبارنا على تصور المزيد من النتائج المفعمة بالأمل في الوجود بأسره أو تشويه تصورنا للواقع بشدة لدرجة أننا نرفض الأدلة الحسية المحيطة ونهاجم الذين يعانون الواقع حقًا ! وأيًا كنت وأيًا كان جنسك أو عمرك فإن عواطفك تتأثر بالعالم من حولك وما يتوقعهُ منك ، تمامًا كما يتأثر أي شيء يحدث في عقلك .
حيثُ يقولُ دين برنيت في كتابهِ الغباء العاطفي " كبتُ العواطف مُضِرٌ بالسلامة النفسية أما الشعور بالإضطرار إلى التعبير عن عواطف مُختلفة عن تلك التي تشعرُ بها بالفعل فهو طبقة إضافية من الضرر ، وحين تكون في بيئة محفوفة بالمخاطر وممتلئة بالتحديات فلا تستبعد أن يهدد مثل هذا الضرر حياتُك ذاتها " ناقش في كتابه التعاطف وإساهمهِ في تطور العواطف منذ قديم الزمان حتى يومنا هذا وكيف أن التعاطف يدعم جزًا كبيرًا من التفاعل بين البشر و وجوب تحقيق التوازن ما بين الاسراف في التعاطف والبخل به وأثر ذلك على النمو العقلي للدماغ .

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not unusual for readers to say they have waited a long time for an author's book and that it was worth the wait. In this case it is singularly true because the reason for the derailment of the book originally envisaged has produced a different* and better book. Neuroscientist Dean Burnett's father died of Covid early in the UK pandemic, an event which, unsurprisingly, affected his son deeply. He has woven his experience of grieving into his trademark readable and entertaining scientific writing. I loved the sense of him feeling what he feels, doing what he does, whilst being very much himself and walking around it all trying to make sense of it as a curious observer.

My one real quibble with it is that I would have preferred him not to describe his previous employment in the anatomy department as being awful, repeatedly. I am aware of what is involved and have spent time in anatomy rooms, that's not my problem but as someone who facilitated her father's donation and who is signed up, along with other loved ones, to donate herself, eventually I'd rather not think those dealing with us dislike it so much.

*still with great footnotes.

[Forego Moro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A journey towards emotions in human psychology system. Which you will see the role of emotions in all our lives and how we should not ignore them. Dean Burnett have been studied it well after his father death and written it in a new way, so we could see the effectiveness of emotions around his life during a big disaster.

I would say this is the book humans must read, especially men’s so we could start a campaign to not ignore emotions.

[Flavia Ioana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good, he explains aspects about emotions that are not so explored in other materials, at least not the ones I’ve studied or read. And I’ve read quite a few.

He explains in a way that is easy to understand and makes you curious to want to know more.

I’ve had quite a few ‘aha!’ moments.

He’s put effort and dedication into this book and quite a bit of his own personal experience.

So thank you Dr Dean Burnett for your work, much appreciated.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read all of Dean’s books so whilst the situation he wrote this one in (the death of his father from covid) was different, I felt like a lot of the info he’d already told me in another book. Maybe I’ve read too many neuro and psychology books! I didn’t learn anything surprisingly new.
The chapter on emotions and technology interested me the most.

[Hanie Noor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever felt curious about the myth of brain vs heart? Did you know that emotions actually happen in our brains? Do you know how hormones such as testosterone affect the way we think and influence our emotions and then shape our behaviour? There are a lot of other factors that contribute to how we feel/perceive emotions. And here’s another good read to debunk the brain vs heart misconception apart from introducing you to the principles of emotions.

Burnett delves into the origins of existence and how emotions affect us. This book gives another perspective of emotional intelligence taking into account Burnett’s personal experiences, professional input as a neuroscientist, and profound insights into the grieving process to reveal how our emotions shape our identity.

Intro:
Burnett initially wrote on the topic of Emotional Intelligence (EQ), however, following his father’s demise, he decided to include his personal experiences alongside the science of emotions and their functions in our brain which results in the topic of Emotional Ignorance. Every study that supported Burnett’s views is considered to be a well-established fact about emotions, with other researchers presenting contrasting facts. Very up-close and personal, this book examines the role of emotions in numerous facets of life, ranging from the most fundamental biological processes to cutting-edge technology. It is a combination of scientific investigation, a journal of grief, and self-discovery that enables Burnett to confront his emotional naivety. Exploring grief has opened up doors for understanding and making sense of our experience which led Burnett to unlikely emotional phases yielding intriguing insights.

1) Emotional Basics:
Burnett sought to comprehend the fundamentals of emotions, commencing with the most basic query: what is an emotion? Despite centuries of research and debate, there is no significant consensus regarding a specific definition of an emotion. To unravel the larger complexity of emotions, it is necessary to examine specific instances of distinct and recognisable emotional manifestations and expressions. This research is essential, but there is still much to learn about the origins of emotions in the brain.

2) Emotions vs Thinking:
Emotions are frequently portrayed in science fiction as a liability/burden, a weakness, and that humans will always be threatened by or inferior to any intelligence that lacks or is immune to emotions. This may be seen in the Terminator and Matrix series, Star Trek, etc. Emotions, according to the Stoics and Buddhists, block reason and enlightenment, and the common view is that emotions are an impediment to rational cognition. Emotions are an integral part of the human mind, identity, and capacity to exist as a thinking being. During a difficult period, it became clear that they have a profound effect on memory.

3) Emotional Memories:
In the account of Burnett’s father's demise because of COVID-19, he was advised to concentrate on the positive memories, but either way, it turned out to be painful and infused with a profound sense of loss. Burnett has lost a parent in painful circumstances, has been separated from family and friends, and experiencing a flood of negative emotions. Oftentimes, expressing and discussing emotions are equally essential to our emotional well-being.

4) Emotional Communication:
Burnett also experienced a range of emotions, including apathy, profound loss, wrath, and resentment. He believed that being surrounded by family or friends who were also in mourning would have aided in surviving the ordeal. Due to the pandemic, Burnett is unable to express his emotions to friends and family, which may affect their relationships. As long as Burnett is able to maintain a good relationship with those he cares about, it will help in transitioning into something positive.

5) Emotional Relationships:
Less than three months after his father's demise, Burnett encountered the more difficult aspects of being a caretaker. Our brains are strong enough to enable us to feel genuine emotions for people who are not physically present in our reality. This demonstrates the resilience of our emotional bonds, that even death won’t break them.

6) Emotional Technology:
Emotions' chemical reactions happen so fast in our brains that even current technology fails to accurately detect them. The more aware we are of our emotions, the more we can moderate and control their effects and influence on ourselves.

Conclusion:
Emotions have always been about change, and because emotions happen throughout our brains, they have the capacity to affect us instantly. This experience has taught Burnett to not disregard or reject the emotions he’s feeling, as emotional pain is equivalent to pain caused by physical injury or illness. Burnett has been able to persevere while dealing with his father’s demise by reading a book, writing, and acknowledging his emotions in order to move on. As a neurologist, Burnett concluded that accepting the fact that we will continue to experience emotional upheaval throughout our entire lifetimes with the willingness to work with our emotions rather than controlling or suppressing them will give a more positive outlook on the quality of our life.

[Peter Wood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Generally stated the obvious in a very wordy way. If there was interesting material, it was lost.

[Josien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ik heb van dit boek een leesexemplaar mogen lezen vanuit de boekhandel waar ik een bijbaan heb (de vertaalde Nederlandstalige variant: ‘Doe normaal!’).
Het onderwerp van het boek is heel interessant, maar ik vond de uitwerking wat minder. Ik had het idee dat de schrijver, doordat hij zelf wetenschapper is, soms dingen te moeilijk beschreef voor de ‘gewone mens’. Hij zit zelf waarschijnlijk al zo diep in de stof dat het daardoor moeilijk is het in ‘Jip en Janneke’-taal uit te leggen. Soms gebruikte hij bijvoorbeeld allerlei namen van verschillende gebieden in de hersenen, wat naar mijn idee vaak overbodig was en dus niet perse nodig. Het maakte het juist onduidelijker naar mijn idee.
Tevens merkte ik dat de schrijver niet goed tot zijn ‘punt’ kon komen, dus wat het nou precies was wat hij duidelijk wilde maken. Een groot deel van het boek was voor mij een hele lange opsomming van ideeën/inzichten. Het was mij vaak niet duidelijk wat ik nou met al die informatie moest, wat dus de conclusie was.
Ik had gehoopt dat er ook soms tips in zouden staan over hoe je met bepaalde emoties om kunt gaan, maar dit was niet echt het geval.
Degene die het boek vertaald heeft, maakte vaak spelfouten wat betreft woorden in enkelvoud/meervoud. Dat vond ik erg jammer.
Het had dus een goed boek kunnen zijn over een interessant onderwerp als het op een toegankelijkere en duidelijkere manier was uitgewerkt.

[Barbara Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Emotional Brain is an in-depth exploration of how we process emotions. The author, Dean Burnett, is a neuroscientist, as he likes to remind us throughout the book, so the detailed anatomical look at the brain was not a surprise. The book is specific and wordy but also too general; it is like baking a casserole that comes out simultaneously burnt and raw! Burnett goes on tangents for pages before looping back to his original concept.

We learn that Burnett wrote this book right after his father passed away from COVID-19 during the early part of the pandemic in 2020. His emotional journey through grief after the loss of his parent was an engaging read, and I feel for his loss. However, his research and exploration into emotions seem like his attempt to process his loss. Aside from the detailed anatomy, the rest of the information is very general, more of his musings than fact, and deludes into social diatribes by the end of the book. By the book's last two chapters, we lose a ton of steam, and Burnett is grasping for content.

In Chapter Five, Burnett delves into Emotional Relationships and considers why losing a parent might be easier than losing your romantic partner. He goes on long tangents about romantic love. As someone who has spent a considerable amount of time reading books on grief, the reason for this is that losing a parent is part of the natural order. Of course, losing a parent is hard, but it is something we expect to do at some point in time because that is the natural order of life, so socially and emotionally, it is something more acceptable. When we lose someone out of turn, like a spouse or child, this is disenfranchised grief, and people are much more uncomfortable with this type of loss.

Chapter Six is a hot mess of garbage. Burnett lost me when he talked about how, because of his type of loss, he experienced more anger than usual. This comment made me more angry than anything else in this book and took my rating from a two-star to a one-star. Here's my practical advice: DO NOT compare your loss to other losses; this is toxic and harmful advice.

I am still determining the target audience for this book because it seems like he is the only one meant to read it. Keep a diary next time! Please don't read this book and expect any practical advice.

I should have known, he is a cat person. Comparing cats to babies?

[Mariam Zayed.. · Rating 1 out of 5]

أكيد يا ميم، دي نسخة أكثر سلاسة وطبيعية من الريفيو اللي كتبتيه، مع الحفاظ على نفس المعنى والملاحظات الأصلية:


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في الحقيقة، أنا ما زلت في بداية الكتاب، لكن الاستمرار فيه صعب نوعًا ما.
ليس لأنه ممل أو ضعيف المحتوى، بل لأسباب تتعلق بطريقة الكتابة نفسها.

1. أسلوب الكاتب
الكتاب يميل إلى الإسهاب والكتابة المتتابعة دون تنظيم واضح أو عناوين محددة.
تشعر وكأن الكاتب يكتب أفكاره كما تأتيه دون توحيد في النبرة أو الهدف من الفقرة أو الفصل.
تتكرر المعلومات أكثر من مرة، فتفقد أحيانًا الخيط الأساسي لما يُراد قوله.
كان من الأفضل لو راجع الكاتب كل فصل ليوحد فكرته وأسلوبه قبل نشره.


2. الجانب العلمي
بما أن الكتاب ذو طابع علمي، كان من الضروري توضيح المصطلحات مسبقًا وتبسيطها،
مع إضافة تشبيهات أو رسوم توضيحية تُسهل الفهم على القراء غير المتخصصين.
لو قُدّمت هذه المفاهيم في بداية الكتاب بأسلوب خفيف وممتع، لكان الوصول للمعلومة أسهل بكثير.


3. الترجمة
الترجمة إلى العربية لم تكن بالقدر الذي يناسب القارئ العام،
والمترجم أضاف تعليقات شخصية تتعارض أحيانًا مع رأي الكاتب،
مما سبب لي ارتباكًا أثناء القراءة. لم أعد أعلم إن كنت أقرأ وجهة نظر الكاتب أم المترجم.
وفي بعض المواضع شعرت أن المترجم طغى صوته على النص الأصلي،
خاصة وأن الكاتب نفسه لم يُحسن تنظيم مادته بالشكل الكافي.


الأمر محزن، لست أدري أأكمل القراءة لأخرج بمعلومة تلهمني أم لا :'(

[Wulan Suci Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to read, it makes me stop many times and reflect. Pretty deep with a lot of meat and I couldnt agree more with the discussion in each page of it.

Many exiciting insights, my top 2 most favourite findings are :
1. The part of the brain that produces emotion is the same part that will learn to deal with it. Hence it is very important to deal with emotions to train that brain, not to run away from it.
2. Love and its influences, and consequences arent confined to the emotional centres of our brain. It affects the more cognitive regions just as readily, to the extent that trying to intellectually control and limit your love for someone can be like trying to get a refund on a sandwich a week after you’ve eaten it (not technically impossible, but an uphill struggle).

To some of my friends/family, who has been witnessing me surprisingly calm despite of going through many difficult and emotionally challenges situations, I would like to attribute to God’s guidance in not to fight or suppress my emotional reactions, but to let them happen, accept them, and see where they take me. To flow is to live.

[Bedour Mohammed · Rating 4 out of 5]

يستعرض دين بيرنيت في هذا الكتاب رؤية شاملة حول العواطف، مع تعريفها وتوضيح تأثيرها العميق على حياتنا اليومية وسلوكياتنا. و يتميز الكتاب بالأسلوب المبسط الذي يعتمد على أمثلة عملية وتحليل منطقي، مما يجعله أداة فعّالة لفهم التفاعلات العاطفية وتجنب الأخطاء الشائعة. بفضل أسلوبه الواضح، يُبسط بيرنيت التعقيدات العصبية دون إغراق القارئ في التفاصيل الأكاديمية.
استلهم الكاتب فكرة الكتاب من تجربته الشخصية مع عواطفه التي لم يستطع إدراكها أو التعامل معها، خصوصًا بعد فقدانه لوالده نتيجة إصابته بفيروس كورونا الذي اجتاح العالم عام 2020.

[Luca Nicoletti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed listening to this book, the author and his approach keep the science engaging and relatable, which is especially important when tackling a complex subject like emotions. And this the book accessible while still packed with insights.
Emotions are far from the irrational forces we sometimes think they are, they do act as a survival mechanism, and influence everything from snap judgements to long-term plans.
The author often uses personal stories and keeps referencing his dad's death, using that as a main example on multiple occasions to explain the topic at hand.

[Cal Davie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting enough. Some general musings about emotions with the occasional reference to specific brain regions involved. Nothing groundbreaking. Also, as good as Burnett is in engaging a popular audience in neuropsychological topics, I always find myself wound up when an author frequently uses "as a scientist..." in their writings. Dean, your point is legitimate whether you're a scientist or not if it's accurate in itself, please stop mentioning your credentials.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very informative book about how the brain generates emotion and how it is both unpredictable and functional in how we think and act. Suffering from grief of losing his father in the pandemic of COVID, this neuroscientist describes how his emotions interacted with the world of that time to show me that while they weren't necessarily comfortable they did allow him to survive the blows that came his way.