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Best Neuroscience Books

Topic List35 books curated140 recommendations total

Neuroscience books, including titles recommended by Bill Gates, Keith Rabois and Michael Mauboussin. Most recommended here: Thinking, Fast and Slow, Why We Sleep and Behave.

Curated list content

Where to start: Neuroscience Books recommended most often

Recommended books, ranked by how many of the 89 people behind this list recommended each one.

  1. 1Thinking, Fast and Slow53 recommendations · recommended by Bryan Johnson, Bill Gates and Michael Mauboussin
  2. 2Why We Sleep27 recommendations · recommended by Bryan Johnson, Bill Gates and Keith Rabois
  3. 3Behave10 recommendations · recommended by Bryan Johnson, Michael Mauboussin and Bill Gates
  4. 4The Happiness Hypothesis9 recommendations · recommended by Darya Rose, Derek Sivers and Tony Hsieh
  5. 5The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat6 recommendations · recommended by Darya Rose, Jordan Peterson and Eric Weinstein
1
Book cover for “Thinking, Fast and Slow”
Book Summary

This book walks you through two mental systems—one fast and intuitive, the other slow and analytical—using a cascade of clever experiments that reveal how easily we're fooled. The value lies in naming and demonstrating dozens of cognitive biases that affect decisions from shopping to investing. it reads as dense, rich, and often fascinating, but the parade of similar studies can feel repetitive, and the lack of practical shortcuts may frustrate readers wanting quick fixes. Some later research has questioned a few findings, which can gnaw at your trust as you go.

2
Book cover for “Why We Sleep”
Why We Sleep

Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

27 recommendations

Recommended by Bryan Johnson, Bill Gates, Keith Rabois and 22 others

Book Summary

The book reads like an engaging, urgent lecture from a sleep evangelist, blending accessible science with alarming anecdotes. Its strength is the deep dive into how sleep shapes memory, health, and creativity, making a strong case for its non-negotiable importance. The downside: tone can become preachy and overdrawn, with some claims feeling overstated, leaving you either inspired to protect your slumber or weary of the relentless doom-mongering.

3
Book cover for “Behave”
Behave

The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst

10 recommendations

Recommended by Bryan Johnson, Michael Mauboussin, Bill Gates and 6 others

Description

The New York Times bestseller"It's no exaggeration to say that Behave is one of the best nonfiction books I've ever read." David P.

4
Book cover for “The Happiness Hypothesis”
The Happiness Hypothesis

Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

9 recommendations

Recommended by Darya Rose, Derek Sivers, Tony Hsieh and 2 others

5
Book cover for “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat”
6 recommendations

Recommended by Darya Rose, Jordan Peterson, Eric Weinstein and 2 others

Description

Recommended on Jordan Peterson's website.

6
Book cover for “Incognito”
Incognito

The Secret Lives of the Brain

5 recommendations

Recommended by Tom Bilyeu, Ray Dalio, James Clear and 1 other

Description

If the conscious mindthe part you consider to be youis just the tip of the iceberg, what is the rest doing In this sparkling and provocative book, renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman navigates the depths of the subconscious brain to illuminate its surprising mysteries.

7
Book cover for “On Intelligence”
On Intelligence

How a New Understanding of the Brain Will Lead to the Creation of Truly Intelligent Machines

5 recommendations

Recommended by Keith Rabois, Ev Williams, Patrick Collison and 1 other

Description

From the inventor of the PalmPilot comes a new and compelling theory of intelligence, brain function, and the future of intelligent machinesJeff Hawkins, the man who created the PalmPilot, Treo smart phone, and other handheld devices, has reshaped our relationship to computers.

8
Book cover for “The Brain That Changes Itself”
The Brain That Changes Itself

Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

4 recommendations

Recommended by Tom Bilyeu, Brendon Burchard, Josh Waitzkin and 1 other

9
Book cover for “The Blank Slate”
The Blank Slate

The Modern Denial of Human Nature

4 recommendations

Recommended by Tom Bilyeu, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Mark Manson and 1 other

10
Book cover for “My Stroke of Insight”
My Stroke of Insight

A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey

3 recommendations

Recommended by Ray Dalio and Brendon Burchard

Description

Jill Taylor was a 37yearold Harvardtrained brain scientist when a blood vessel exploded in her brain. Through the eyes of a curious scientist, she watched her mind deteriorate whereby she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life.

11
Book cover for “The Brain's Way of Healing”
The Brain's Way of Healing

Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity

3 recommendations

Recommended by Josh Waitzkin and Jim Kwik

Description

Now a New York Times Bestseller!The bestselling author of The Brain That Changes Itself presents astounding advances in the treatment of brain injury and illness In The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge described the most important breakthrough in our understanding of the…

12
Book cover for “Awakenings”
3 recommendations

Recommended by Jordan Peterson and Steve Silberman

Description

Awakenings is a 1973 nonfiction book by Oliver Sacks. It recounts the life histories of those who had been victims of the 1920s encephalitis lethargica epidemic.

13
No coverThe TellTale Brain
The TellTale Brain

A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human

2 recommendations

Recommended by Brendon Burchard and James Clear

Description

V. S. Ramachandran is at the forefront of his fieldso much so that Richard Dawkins dubbed him the "Marco Polo of neuroscience." Now, in a major new work, Ramachandran sets his sights on the mystery of human uniqueness.

15
Book cover for “The Language Instinct”
The Language Instinct

How the Mind Creates Language

2 recommendations

Recommended by Scott Young and Charlie Munger

Show 19 more books with a single recommendation
16
Book cover for “The Social Animal”
The Social Animal

The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement

1 recommendation

Recommended by Sahil Lavingia

Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERWith unequaled insight and brio, New York Times columnist David Brooks has long explored and explained the way we live.

17
Book cover for “Phantoms in the Brain”
Phantoms in the Brain

Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind

1 recommendation

Recommended by Tom Bilyeu

Description

Neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran is internationally renowned for uncovering answers to the deep and quirky questions of human nature that few scientists have dared to address.

18
Book cover for “The Mind's Eye”
Description

In Musicophilia, Oliver Sacks explored music and the brain; now, in The Mind's Eye, he writes about the myriad ways in which we experience the visual world: how we see in three dimensions; how we recognize individual faces or places; how we use language to communicate verbally;…

19
Book cover for “The MindGut Connection”
The MindGut Connection

How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health

20
No coverLange Clinical Neurology and Neuroanatomy
Lange Clinical Neurology and Neuroanatomy

A LocalizationBased Approach

Description

Publisher's Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product.An engagingly written text that bridges the gap between neuroanatomy and clinical neurology…

21
Book cover for “Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases”
Description

Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases brings a pioneering, interactive approach to the teaching of neuroanatomy. In addition to original, fullcolor illustrations of normal human neuroanatomy, the book features over 100 actual clinical cases and over 250 highquality radiological…

22
No coverPrinciples of Neural Science
Description

This text studies the brain, its structure, function and development. It discusses neuroanatomy, cell and molecular mechanisms and signaling through a cognitive approach to behaviour.

23
Book cover for “Neuroscience”
Neuroscience

International Edition

Description

Acclaimed for its clear, friendly style, excellent illustrations, leading author team, and compelling theme of exploration, Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain, 4e takes a fresh, contemporary approach to the study of neuroscience, emphasizing the biological basis of behavior.

24
Book cover for “The Neuroscience of Clinical Psychiatry”
Description

Bridge the gap between neuroscience and mental illness/mental health with this straightforward and readerfriendly resource!

25
Book cover for “Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, Third Edition”
Description

Now in a third edition, Robert M. Sapolsky's acclaimed and successful Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers features new chapters on how stress affects sleep and addiction, as well as new insights into anxiety and personality disorder and the impact of spirituality on managing stress.As…

26
No coverApprentice to Genius
Apprentice to Genius

The Making of a Scientific Dynasty

Description

Robert Kanigel takes us into the heady world of a remarkable group of scientists working at the National Institutes of Health and the Johns Hopkins University: a dynasty of American researchers who for over forty years have made Nobel Prize and Lasker Awardwinning breakthroughs…

27
No coverBehavioral Neuroscience
Description

For 20 years, instructors have relied on the textbook Biological Psychology for a definitive and comprehensive survey of the neuroscience of behavior.

28
No coverIn Search of Memory
In Search of Memory

The Emergence of a New Science of Mind

Description

Nobel Prize winner Kandel intertwines cogntive psychology, neuroscience, and molecular biology with his own quest to understand memory.

29
No coverThe Emotional Brain Revisited
Description

The Emotional Brain Revisited tackles various issues at play in the current neuroscientific, psychological, and philosophical research on emotions.

30
Book cover for “Descartes' Error”
Descartes' Error

Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain

31
Book cover for “How the Mind Works”
Description

In this extraordinary bestseller, Steven Pinker, one of the world's leading cognitive scientists, does for the rest of the mind what he did for language in his 1994 book, The Language Instinct.

32
Book cover for “Nocturnal Brain EXPORT”
Description

With my job on Today, I have become obsessed with sleep. The Nocturnal Brain interweaves bizarre real life stories with cutting edge neurological science in the true tradition of Oliver Sacks. A fascinating read.

33
No coverThe Nocturnal Brain
The Nocturnal Brain

Nightmares, Neuroscience, and the Secret World of Sleep

34
No coverWhy Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers

The Acclaimed Guide to Stress, StressRelated Diseases, and Coping

Recommended Neuroscience Books by Tom Bilyeu

Tom Bilyeu recommends 4 books on this list. See all book recommendations by Tom Bilyeu

Recommended Neuroscience Books by Bill Gates

Bill Gates recommends 3 books on this list. See all book recommendations by Bill Gates

Recommended Neuroscience Books by Brendon Burchard

Brendon Burchard recommends 3 books on this list. See all book recommendations by Brendon Burchard

Neuroscience Books: common questions

What are the most recommended neuroscience books?
Thinking, Fast and Slow, Why We Sleep and Behave are the most recommended neuroscience books on BookMentions, ranked by how many people recommended them.
Who recommends neuroscience books?
Tom Bilyeu, Bill Gates, Brendon Burchard and Bryan Johnson are among the people who recommend books on this list. Each name links to their full set of book recommendations.
Which of these neuroscience books should I read first?
Thinking, Fast and Slow is the most recommended here with 53 recommendations, which makes it the safest place to start.

Built from recommendation data, category signals, and source-backed book records. Use this list as a starting point; open any book to see proof, context, and Amazon options where available.

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About this list

This list aggregates books that appear in public recommendation sources, reader-interest signals, and category data. Books are ranked by their position from the source list; recommendation counts and ratings are shown where available. Open any book to see source-backed recommendation proof, editorial context, and Amazon options — the per-book detail page is where the trust signals live.

Recommended books by person: who recommends neuroscience books

Books recommended by the people below. Open a profile to see everything they recommend, with the source behind each pick.