Mastermind, Maria Konnikova
Mastermind, Maria Konnikova
5 Rating(s)
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Mastermind
How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes

Author: Maria Konnikova

Narrator: Karen Saltus

Unabridged: 10 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Ascent Audio

Published: 01/03/2013


Synopsis

No fictional character is more renowned for his powers of thought and observation than Sherlock Holmes. But is his extraordinary intellect merely a gift of fiction, or can we learn to cultivate these abilities ourselves, to improve our lives at work and at home?

We can, says psychologist and journalist Maria Konnikova, and in Mastermind she shows us how. Beginning with the "brain attic"--Holmes's metaphor for how we store information and organize knowledge--Konnikova unpacks the mental strategies that lead to clearer thinking and deeper insights. Drawing on twenty-first-century neuroscience and psychology, Mastermind explores Holmes's unique methods of ever-present mindfulness, astute observation, and logical deduction.

In doing so, it shows how each of us, with some self-awareness and a little practice, can employ these same methods to sharpen our perceptions, solve difficult problems, and enhance our creative powers. For Holmes aficionados and casual readers alike, Konnikova reveals how the world's most keen-eyed detective can serve as an unparalleled guide to upgrading the mind.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Andreas on March 11, 2020

I was surprised about the many negative reviews here at Goodreads. The main complain is that the author doesn't come up with something new, which is true, and that the Sherlock Holmes examples are taken too far. In the last months I have read a couple of books about our brain, perception, memory and......more

Goodreads review by VaultOfBooks on September 01, 2013

By Maria Konnikova. Grade: B Sherlock Holmes, hands down, is my favourite detective, and Conan Doyle an absolute genius. Like all fans of his genre, I’ve devoured the books, the TV shows, and now, the movies. This is one such adaptation wherein author Maria Konnikova, a graduate of Harvard University......more

Goodreads review by Aaron on January 28, 2013

*A full executive summary of this book is available here: [URL not allowed] The main argument: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character Sherlock Holmes is as popular today as when he was created back in the late 19th century. This comes as no surprise, of course, since there is just......more

Goodreads review by Mary on February 11, 2019

I’ll give her five stars for the book’s premise, but only two stars for execution. This book is like a good first draft. I would love to get in there and get the material organized in a concise readable format and get the scientific references cited properly so that it could be a good book. The Write......more