The Brain at Rest

‘In a stressed-out society where we think we should be constantly on the go, this excellent book is precisely what we need to stop, reset, and rest. I learned so much from it.’

‘Addicted to work? Stop what you’re doing and read this book. By combining cutting edge science with compelling personal anecdotes, Jebelli weaves a fascinating tale of the virtues of the resting brain. He also reminds us that scrolling on our smartphones may feel like a break but is not in fact a break for our brains. Just one more reason to get off our phones, go outside, and let ourselves wander.’

‘This book is magic. It won’t just refresh your mind, but also make you more productive – in both the short and long run. If you want to accomplish more, without any relaxation guilt, this book is for you. Practice what’s in this book, and your mind will feel brand new.’

‘The Brain at Rest is a tonic for the frazzled mind. Joseph Jebelli makes a powerful argument for the importance of the brain’s downtime in living a happy, healthy and meaningful life. By doing less, we can achieve so much more – and this inspiring book shows us how.’

‘Joseph Jebelli’s The Brain at Rest introduces you to the most important part of your brain you’ve never heard of: the default network, a unique – and uniquely powerful – set of links between regions of the brain that switch on when we think about the past, imagine the future, and are faced with creative challenges. Unfortunately, modern life seems determined to push the default network to one side, but The Brain at Rest explains why things as simple as walks in the woods, a good night’s sleep, and simply people-watching at a cafe, can improve our happiness, keep our brains and bodies healthy, and help have more productive days.’

‘This book is a much-needed pause button, offering practical, science-backed solutions for reclaiming your life from distraction and overwhelm – showing you that productivity and health can coexist in harmony.’

‘A wonderfully written and much needed exploration of the art and science of doing nothing. The Brain at Rest is an accessible and enjoyable journey into the neuroscience of mind wandering, tree-hugging, and play.’

‘A powerful, heartfelt manifesto for rest. Dr Jebelli brings together cutting-edge research on this important, and often overlooked, behaviour in our increasingly busy lives.’

‘How did humans develop such a runaway mind? Joseph Jebelli masterfully illuminates the neurobiological road by which we arrived, and where it might reach from here.’

‘Jebelli writes with aplomb and an eye for arresting asides… This is a slim, accessible and thought-provoking book – a springboard to further reading.’

‘An eye for thrilling details makes his approachable, sometimes provocative book an aptly mind-expanding experience for the curious reader.’

‘In Pursuit of Memory is a remarkable combination of fine writing, personal honesty and deep scientific insight – about a devastating and baffling disease that is becoming all too common. Jebelli weighs up all the evidence and all the theories about Alzheimer’s and even allows us a glimpse of optimism about a cure.’

‘Joseph Jebelli’s wonderfully clear, vividly readable and comprehensive survey of the search for a cure . . . The world is closing in on Alzheimer’s. There is nowhere left for it to hide.’

‘A fascinating quest at the frontiers of neurodegeneration… and a moving, sober and forensic study of the past, present and future of Alzheimer’s from the point of view of a neuroscientist who has lived with the disease, at home and in the lab, from a very young age. The story Jebelli tells illustrates the tantalising mystery of Alzheimer’s: it’s both highly visible yet agonizingly elusive…a timely analysis [that] might give comfort.’

‘Elegant, thorough, compelling and touchingly personal… You should read this book. Each of us ignores Alzheimer’s at our peril. No one wants to think about it. But we must.’

‘A personal story and smart scientific thinking reveal the history and humanity behind an epidemic that affects 44 million people worldwide.’

‘An overview of Alzheimer’s that never once sacrifices the human story for the scientific one…sensitive, humanising, and poetic… a masterful overview of the disease.’

‘A riveting debut… the very human story of the disease that is now an epidemic.’

‘An accessible, diligently researched and well-travelled overview of the disease that is more deadly than cancer. Jebelli poignantly weaves the current science with the tragic stories of affected families, not least his own.’

‘On the surface it’s about Alzheimer’s disease but more than that it demonstrates how challenging it is to understand the brain.’

‘The definitive portrait of Alzheimer’s disease – an illness that is rapidly becoming the defining plague of the 21st century.’

‘An elegant and precise writer, Jebelli follows every lead for a cure with the panache of a detective novelist, giving readers much to hope for despite the devastation Alzheimer’s has left in its wake. Based on his meticulous and wide-ranging research, he makes a convincing argument that Alzheimer’s will be defeated in the decades to come. Jebelli analyzes every facet of Alzheimer’s with personal empathy and scientific rigor, a combination that makes for enthralling reading.’