The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons

The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery

By: Sam Kean

Narrated by: Henry Leyva

Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

The author of the best seller The Disappearing Spoon reveals the secret inner workings of the brain through strange-but-true stories.

Early studies of the human brain used a simple method: Wait for misfortune to strike - strokes, seizures, infectious diseases, horrendous accidents - and see how victims coped. In many cases their survival was miraculous, if puzzling. Observers were amazed by the transformations that took place when different parts of the brain were destroyed, altering victims' personalities. Parents suddenly couldn't recognize their own children. Pillars of the community became pathological liars. Some people couldn't speak but could still sing.

In The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, Sam Kean travels through time with stories of neurological curiosities: Phantom limbs, Siamese twin brains, viruses that eat patients' memories, blind people who see through their tongues. He weaves these narratives together to create a story of discovery that reaches back to the 1500s and the high-profile jousting accident that inspired this book's title.* With the lucid, masterful explanations and razor-sharp wit his fans have come to expect, Kean explores the brain's secret passageways and recounts the forgotten tales of the ordinary people whose struggles, resilience, and deep humanity made neuroscience possible.

*"The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons" refers to the case of French king Henri II, who in 1559 was lanced through the skull during a joust, resulting in one of the most significant cases in neuroscience history. For hundreds of years scientists have gained important lessons from traumatic accidents and illnesses, and such misfortunes still represent their greatest resource for discovery.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2014 Sam Kean (P)2014 Hachette Audio

one of the best books I've read in a while!

this book is so interesting and written well. if you have any interest in neurology or psychology, this book will open your eyes to a lot.

Unexpected laughs throughout.

I enjoy Sam Kean's books. This one, by far, is my favorite. I found myself giggling out loud at some of his descriptions. Neuroscience fascinates me and I found myself looking up most of the case studies mentioned in this book. I'm sad I finished the book but I have so much material to look up for funzies. I loved this book and definitely recommend it to others.

Great introduction to neuroscience!

Very interesting, engaging, and educational. Great fodder for the curious soul. Ideal for patient learner/ listener.

wandered off track a bit, overall good

strayed waaay off topic at times (and not in a way that was either interesting or contributed to the story), but overall a respectable layman's look at neuroscience. The narrator wasn't as bad as some reviews indicated, but I don't think I'll ever be able to get over someone mispronouncing coitus as "coh - it - uss"....

Another great read!

Entertaining and Informative! Couldn’t stop listening! Sam Kean is an instant download for me and I always enjoy how he weaves the stories and experiences of his subjects!

Fascinating history of neurological discovery

What did you love best about The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons?

I liked the tie-ins between real, individual historical cases of illness and those who discovered the neurological causes of those problems, developing treatments along the way through the process of experimentation, of trial and error.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons?

Too many to list. I was fascinated by each case and by the doctors and scientists who treated the patients, developing theories of why they were ill and pioneering treatments to aleviate their conditions.

What about Henry Leyva’s performance did you like?

So well read! His narration was excellent and held my attention throughout.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Mapping the Maze of the Brain.

Any additional comments?

I listened to this audio book twice before moving on to anything else. The book is rich with insights into the structure and operation of the brain, told in an historical context. It describes the eons during which little at all was known about the complex organ lodged between our ears and moves forward in time through illuminating cases and discoveries. This book should be of interest to those who are medically inclined as well as to anyone curious about the brain and how it works.

Make sure to download the PDF

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I've recommended this to quite a few people--especially my friends who study language and cognition. Fascinating to listen to tales of the discoveries that helped us to understand how the brain processes information. The very end of the book gets a little slow (specifically the last chapter); it felt a bit like the author didn't know how to wrap up the series of anecdotes with a cohesive ending.

What other book might you compare The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons to and why?

I also enjoyed "The Demon Under the Microscope", which had similar tales of medical/historical cases.

Which scene was your favorite?

Two scenes were hugely entertaining--specifically the "cat based experiments" and the chapter about the Kuru monkeys. The section on James Holman was also quite the adventure :)

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Towards the end of the book, the author provides some additional information that flips what you had heard in previous chapters on its head. It's a subtle note--just a quick passing paragraph--that really makes you question everything you thought you knew about those specific cases.

Any additional comments?

There are some great diagrams and puzzles in the supplementary PDF. I would recommend reviewing the diagrams ahead of time so you can follow along more easily. The rebus puzzles before each chapter were fun, and if you are stumped at first you will definitely figure them out when the chapter completes.

Best book I've listened to

Absolutely love this book and will be listening to it again! It allows the laymen to understand neuroscience in a captivating way. I've never felt so compelled to leave a review but this is one I recommend to all who love great stories and/or love learning.

Fascinating History of Neuroscience

This audiobook was a very pleasant surprise. Kean is an expert storyteller, describing some of the monumental cases in the development of neuroscience -- including the gory bits. I loved Kean's saucy phraseology. Coupled with Leyva's cheeky and deadpan delivery made this book extremely entertaining; I don't usually pay much attention to the narration, but in this case I think it was an exceptional job. I highly recommend this book if you have any interest in the brain!

Incredible Interesting

Many new cases and patients I hadn't heard of with more details and easily understood explanation. Sam Kean's books are always exceptional.