Brain Building: Exercising Yourself Smarter

by Marilyn vos Savant

The smartest person in the world has written the ultimate illustrated how-to book, a program designed to improve our most powerful natural tool--the brain. Illustrated with drawings, charts, and graphs.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553057707
• ISBN13: 9780553057706
• Release Date: February 1990
• Publisher: Bantam Books
• Length: 243 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.

Customer Reviews

AT LEAST CONFIDENCE BUILDING

There are two books that come to mind that, though they do not fall in the realm of religious inspiration, are so thought-provoking that they are life changing. They are: 1. Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin and 2. Brain Building: Exercising Yourself Smarter, the latter of which I will comment on.I purchased this book about 4 years ago when I was working a full-time job and going to graduate school to earn a Master of Education degree in Mathematics. The math courses suited me for the most part, since they pertained to both my major and my interests in working with numbers. The education courses, on the other hand, were intimidating, because I grew up with an inferiority complex about my abilities to perform in courses that demanded both extensive amounts of reading and the ability to comprehend several themes and passages.It was during this period that, because I was going to school and working full-time simultaneously, on many days the only opportunities I had to study were either during my lunch hour or right after I arrived home late at night with thoughts of having to be back at work the next morning. Fortunately, it was also then that I was already enthralled enough with Marilyn's books and Parade column to buy this publication.Among the several helpful suggestions Marilyn pointed out in this book is that when reading, do not hesitate to write your thoughts and opinions in the margins alongside key paragraphs and sentences. This particular approach, in a manner of speaking, places you on a more equal footing with the professor or author, and it is a valuable reminder that your interpretations and viewpoints are just as important as, if not more important than, the material you are trying to focus upon.Despite my limited time and resources, this piece of advice helped me to participate adequately in classroom discussions. Except for a couple of B's, which I received before I even bought this book, I ended up graduating with A's in every course. Thank you, God! And thank you, Marilyn!

Neurobics at its best!

I bought this book and completed it in less than a week - not 12 weeks. I think you will too. It is informative, insightful but most important of all: FUN to do the "Brain" exercises whilst learning about the brain(you). I bought it over 6 years ago and it still delights and haunts me.

Practical strategies for improving your mind and life!

Brain Building is a workbook for improving your intelligence, but it's much more. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the unconventional, down-to-earth, downright fun "exercises". The author provides an array of effective, specific techniques and strategies for improving your understanding of and facility with words, numbers, logic, and life, in general. I worked through it several years ago and it literally changed my life. Not a day goes by that I do not draw on its ideas which range from assembling an "intellectual first aid kit" to how to analyze a newspaper editorial. Beautifully written in vos Savant's clear, powerful, concise style, each "exercise" is a gem of wisdom. "Brain Building" is my toolkit for coping with the vortex which is life in America at the dawning of a new millenium.

Better Living through Thinking

If I could give a copy of this book to every person on the planet, I would. I cannot count the number of fundamental insights into understanding life and living that this book has given me. Starting with the single most vital point "your brain is the most important thing that you own", Marilyn Vos Savant goes on to illuminate the many different facets of thinking, pointing out common mistakes and providing exercises to improve each area.I would consider the second essential point to be "just as physical exercise is required for physical fitness, mental exercise is necessary for mental fitness." The exercises themselves are very informative. Generally, they are tasks which materially improve one's life, while working out specific areas of the intellect. Hmmmm.... this may be overly melodramatic, but I would summarize by saying, "Life is a journey, but if you lead it in a smart fashion, it will be much more productive and rewarding." _Brain Building_ is a guidebook toward a better journey.

it actually can optimise your thinking

i'm glad to see that even the smartest person in the world is underlying local (USA) mentality. regardless the beautiful fact that we ALL are humans, i learned some tricks which help me to master daily standard problem-situations better. this makes this book absolutly worth being read.