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Award-winning author and leading neurologist Masud Husain shares seven fascinating cases of brain disorders from across his career – and shows what they can teach us about our own brains
‘Powerful’ FINANCIAL TIMES
‘Thought-provoking’ NEW SCIENTIST
‘Fascinating’ DAILY MAIL
WINNER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE
A FINANCIAL TIMES, THE TIMES AND GUARDIAN BEST SCIENCE BOOK OF THE YEAR
What makes us who we are?
Through the stories of seven of his patients, acclaimed Oxford University neurologist Masud Husain shows us how our brains create, change and can even restore our identity. Husain introduces us to a man who ran out of words, a woman who lost all inhibitions and another who believed she was having an affair with the man who was really her husband.
These compelling human dramas reveal how our identities are created by different functions within the brain. It will ignite new ideas about who we really are – and why we act in the ways we do.
“Husain’s empathetic and engaging portraits tell a wider story about identity and belonging and the fundamental question of what makes each of us who we are”
the Times, ‘best Books Of 2025’
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“Each story is fascinating in its own right; together, they form a thought-provoking book that exposes the precariousness of our sense of self. If Husain’s writing is an indication of his clinical care (which I suspect it is), then he is an intelligent, empathetic and perspicacious doctor”
new Scientist
“[An] emotionally powerful book [that] delves deeply into the nature of individual human identity and how this relates to our belonging to a supportive social group”
financial Times
“[A] funny, fascinating book … Above all, the book is a reminder of how mysterious the workings of the human brain are [and] builds a powerful case for supporting people whose brains havebecome unruly, rather than isolating them”
daily Mail
“An extraordinary book – one of a kind – as beautifully written as it is deeply humane and scientifically fascinating. This book is as brilliant as anything written by Oliver Sacks, a real-life medical detective story that is life-enhancing and beautiful”
Ian Robertson, Author Of How Confidence Works
Masud Husain
Masud Husain is Professor of Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and Professorial Fellow at New College, Oxford. Unusually, he works across departments of neuroscience, brain imaging and psychology to understand cognitive functions in both healthy people and patients with brain disorders. Masud is Editor-in-Chief of Brain, a leading international journal of neurology. First established in 1878, Brain is widely considered to be one of the most influential publications in the field, with its monthly editorials being a key source of authoritative perspectives.
@MasudHusain | masudhusain.org