The Mind Electric

“Neurologist Anand artfully stitches together memoir, medical history, neuroscience, and glimpses of people with neurological diseases to introduce readers to different types of wounded brains. Featured disorders include epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, fatal familial insomnia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, cerebellar degeneration, metastatic breast cancer wrapping itself around the brain, and autoimmune encephalitis. The book excels in Anand’s ruminations on the art of clinical medicine and her insights into the physician experience. She startlingly confesses, ‘To become a doctor, I was becoming less of a human being.’ Fully charged…an undeniable grace and humanity permeate these pages that are sure to spark a response in readers.” –Booklist (starred review)

“Drawing on her personal and professional experience as a neurologist, Anand offers a unique and thought-provoking look at the human mind.” –BookBub

“The electricity in The Mind Electric belongs entirely to the human brain–no metaphor necessary. ‘The truth of our bodies and minds is as strange as fiction, ’ Anand writes–and the language she uses throughout the book is as evocative as that in any novel…In personal and deeply researched vignettes in the tradition of Oliver Sacks, Anand shows that any comparison between brains and machines will inevitably fall flat…The mind in The Mind Electric is vast, mysterious, and populated. The narratives people construct to traverse it are just as full of wonder.” ?–MIT Technology Review

“Anand elegantly transforms the clinical minutiae of neurological disorders into evocative poetry….an engrossing exploration of the brain’s extraordinary powers and terrifying frailties.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Anand’s writing is reminiscent of Oliver Sacks…the best of medical writing. I found the tales of her personal experiences and the dive into history fascinating. The Mind Electric is a compelling read.” –Abraham Verghese, author of The Covenant of Water“The Mind Electric is stunning, full of wisdom, revelation, and poetry. I was continually awed by Dr. Pria Anand’s insight into the darkest shadows of the human experience. I loved every minute of this remarkable book, and I will never think of my brain and body in the same way again.” –Susannah Cahalan, New York Times bestselling author of Brain on Fire“Vivid and entertaining, The Mind Electric takes us into the strange and sometimes wonderful landscape of neurological impairment. This is a beautifully written book.” –T.M. Luhrmann, Professor of Anthropology, Stanford University“At once epic and intricate, personal and universal, The Mind Electric is a fascinating journey through the curious capacities of our brains. A moving and compelling testimony to the importance of telling–and listening to–the stories of what makes us human.” –Elinor Cleghorn, author of Unwell Women“Pria Anand braids together science and narrative in this magnificent exploration of how the mind shapes–and upends–the story of our life. The Mind Electric is as gorgeous and complex and astounding as the brain itself.” –Laura van den Berg, author of State of Paradise “In The Mind Electric, Pria Anand shares the strangeness and sheer wonder of our brains in a testament to the wildness inside us all.” –New Scientist“Pria Anand just might be the heir to Oliver Sacks. Her gorgeous writing and incisive analysis reveal the marvelous neurological underpinnings of our existence. A stunning debut!” –Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, author of What Doctors Feel“A rich and humane work, compelling in its compassion for the personal stories behind the symptoms that bring people to clinics. Pria Anand deftly weaves her own story of change with those of her patients.” –Gwen Adshead, author of The Devil You Know