Publishers Weekly
01/24/2022
Neuroscientists Uta and Chris Frith team up with their children’s book author son Alex (100 Things to Know About Space) and artist Daniel Locke (Out of Nothing) to construct this comprehensive graphic guide to the workings of the brain, covering topics spanning autism to the psychology of game theory. Uta and Chris chaperone the reader through opaque mysteries of academia, explicating a range of experiments and case studies on different aspects of how the mind operates. In particular, they focus on the ways people’s minds interact with one another and the world around them. For example, the truism that “we copy those we like because we want to be liked” is bolstered by evidence that copying is efficient learning not only for human and animal brains, but also machine learning. It’s chock-full of science facts and delves into issues such as bias in academic research and mental disorders. Personal anecdotes wind a path through dense topics made accessible for general readers. The art style, however, skews picture book and sometimes feels flat. Though the presentation leaves something to be desired, the work overall has the feel of being invited to dinner with a friend’s eccentric genius parents: there are some awkward moments, but readers will learn much by the last course. Agent: Patrick Walsh, PEW Literary. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
A charming and addictively accessible introduction to neuroscience, featuring a pair of pioneers who have illuminated some its deepest implications for thought, emotion, and psychopathology.”
—Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of How the Mind Works and Rationality
"I have never seen anything like this. It is an engaging story of the careers – and the love affair – of two of the world’s leading cognitive neuroscientists. It is a witty and accessible introduction to the brain and how it works. It is a cutting-edge exploration of issues such as schizophrenia, autism, prejudice, and empathy. Oh, and it’s also an absolutely beautiful graphic novel. Two Heads is a triumph and a delight."
—Paul Bloom, Professor of Psychology at University of Toronto and author of The Sweet Spot
"Two Heads breaks the mold. It's a fabulous book in graphic form about the lives and work of a cognitive neuroscience power couple who have illuminated what has come to be called the 'social brain.' It is, in fact, a social experiment, a collaboration between son and parents. Read it if you are interested in the topic, or if you simply want to have a very enjoyable experience."
—Joseph LeDoux, Professor of Neural Science at New York University, and author of The Deep History of Ourselves: The Four-Billion-Year Story of How We Got Conscious Brains
"This beguiling, cheeky, and endlessly thought-provoking book uses the science of social cognition and the unassuming form of the graphic novel to address profound questions that have vexed scientists and philosophers for centuries: Do we possess free will? Did we evolve to cooperate or compete? Are racism, sexism, and other forms of bias hardwired into us, or can we grow beyond them? What is an 'individual,' really? It's also an affectionate tribute to the extraordinary legacies of researchers Uta and Chris Frith by their son, Alex. This book will change the ways you think about the ways you think."
—Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity
"This magical book takes you on two intertwined journeys. One is a scientific journey through a multitude of fascinating studies into the brain and the mind. The second is a personal journey that follows Professors Chris and Uta Frith's lives, from how they met as clinical psychology students in London in the swinging sixties to their lives as scientists, working together to understand how the human brain makes us social beings. Captivatingly written by the Friths together with their son, Alex Frith, the book is illustrated with wonderful cartoons of the protagonists and their collaborators and students, as well as all the experiments they describe. What a fantastically fun way to learn about the brain, the mind and the lives of two of the world's most brilliant scientists."
—Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Professor of Psychology at the University of Cambridge and author of Inventing Ourselves
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2022-01-20
A graphic nonfiction book that neither simplifies nor trivializes the way the human brain works.
Uta and Chris Frith are renowned neuroscientists, and their son Alex is a prolific author of more than 50 children’s books on a vast array of topics. In this dynamic exploration of the immense complexity of the brain, the Friths collaborate with British artist and graphic novelist Locke. In addition to the authors’ knowledgeable tours of the relevant science, the graphic element serves to reinforce the spirit of collaboration, one of the book’s primary themes. Though most studies in neuroscience have focused on a single brain, the Friths have concluded, through their research and their personal experiences, that brains function differently and better in connection with other brains and that collaborations with others usually produce superior results compared to results achieved when working alone. Furthermore, the more diverse the collaborative teams, the better. The authors and illustrator convey a pleasing mix of wonder, genial humor, and humility, as husband and wife banter about their work and their son provides the narrative cohesion and framing. The illustrations vividly capture both the significance of the scientific experiments and the unique familial experiences of the Friths. Locke’s art also helps clarify challenging issues involving, among other topics, autism and schizophrenia; in-groups and out-groups; how the brain can function like a hive of bees; and the deleterious effects of the failure to connect. As do many other books on the brain, this one leaves little doubt that so much of what we think or do is in response to the ways we copy others or anticipate what we think they think. Indeed, the authors begin by sharing a secret: “No one understands how the brain works.” However, by the end of this refreshing journey, readers will be much further down the path toward understanding.
An enlightening, inspirational scientific voyage that highlights the importance of collaboration.
