The Master and His Emissary

The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World

By: Iain McGilchrist

Narrated by: Dennis Kleinman

This pioneering account sets out to understand the structure of the human brain - the place where mind meets matter. Until recently, the left hemisphere of our brain has been seen as the "rational" side, the superior partner to the right. But is this distinction true?

Drawing on a vast body of experimental research, Iain McGilchrist argues while our left brain makes for a wonderful servant, it is a very poor master. As he shows, it is the right side which is the more reliable and insightful. Without it, our world would be mechanistic - stripped of depth, color and value.

©2009 Iain McGilchrist; Introduction copyright 2018 by Iain McGilchrist (P)2019 Tantor

Hypnotic and heady

One of the best books I’ve heard. Comprehensive analysis of how our dependence on logic is shaping society, and how this dependence is leading to a value shift which may be linked to overgrowth and over dependence on the left brain.
Very much appreciate the breadth and depth of the author’s landscape from neuroscience to history, philosophy and back again.

It probably proves I'm a nerd, but... OK.

I SO enjoyed this. it's a weighty subject and it takes some effort to follow, but this was such a great explanation of what is going on "upstairs"

The first half of the book is more science oriented. The second half of the book offers examples. Both are well thought out.

Fascinating

Reminded me of “The Cave and the Light”, but from a physiological and clinical perspective.

Excellent rendition of a great book!

McGilchrist brings in many disciplines outside of straight neuroscience and these additional perspectives make the information very digestible and enlightening. The reader faced a great challenge and nailed it! McGilchrist is so right and he’s correct also!

Very profound

This work is very thorough—it leaves one without a doubt of the bi-lateralization of the two brain hemispheres and how these different information processes effect our perception. He also gives a nice theory of which hemisphere dominated in the past with regards to society in a historical context. Starting from antiquity to the Reformation, Renaissance, Romantic, Industrial Revolution, Modern and Post Modernism. If nothing else you will learn a lot