An introductory journal into the human brain—if your inner voice had a PhD in brain science, made jokes, and drew cartoons. A fun, illustrated journey into the brain by acclaimed authors and scientists Jorge Cham and Dwayne Godwin.

OUT OF YOUR MIND: The Biggest Mysteries of the Human Brain
by Jorge Cham & Dwayne Godwin
Pantheon, Fall 2023
(via The Gernert Company)

Why do you love? Why do you lie? What makes you happy? Every single thought you have comes from one place: your brain. It is simultaneously the most complex structure we have ever encountered, and it’s the very same structure we use to study it. But what makes it tick? How does its intricate wiring affect our everyday lives? How much of it have we decoded, and how much remains an impenetrable mystery? Join popular online cartoonist Jorge Cham (PHD Comics; We Have No Idea; Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe) and Neuroscientist Dwayne Godwin (Wake Forest University; Scientific American) on a deep dive into the fascinating world of human brain studies. With casual, clear and jargon-free explanations, compelling stories, and hilarious comics, Jorge and Dwayne will explore interesting questions like, « Where is you in the brain? » « Do we have free will? » « What is consciousness? » and « What makes us happy? » while illuminating everything we know (and DON’T know) about the brain.

Jorge Cham is the creator of the popular online comic Piled Higher and Deeper, also known as PHD Comics. He earned his PhD in robotics at Stanford.
Dwayne Godwin is a Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy and the Dean of the Wake Forest University Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences.