Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your initial reaction to the book’s central thesis that “you” are a construction of your brain? How did this idea sit with you, and did it change how you view your own identity?

2. This book was created as a companion to a PBS series, aiming to make complex science accessible. If you have seen the TV series, how does this compare to the book? What does this illustrate about the importance of form on content?

3. The book is filled with stories and examples. Which example was the most striking or surprising for you and why?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Eagleman explains how skills become “hardwired” into the brain with practice, moving from conscious effort to unconscious autopilot. Think of a skill you’ve mastered, like driving a car, typing, or playing a sport. Can you recall that transition from deliberate struggle to almost thoughtless ease?

2. The book introduces the “Ulysses contract” as a way to manage future impulses. Have you ever used this strategy in your own life to stick to a goal? How successful was this pre-commitment in helping you navigate temptation?

3. We learned about the brain’s “internal model,” which can cause us to see what we expect to see rather than what is actually there. Can you think of a time when your expectations shaped your perception of a person or situation, for better or for worse?

4. How has reading about “priming”—the idea that small, unconscious cues can influence our decisions—made you more aware of your environment? Can you think of any examples from daily life where you suspect you are being “nudged”? How does this make you feel?

5. Eagleman argues that our brains need connection to thrive. How does community and social relationships in your own life affect your abilities, energies and sense of self?

6. Eagleman introduces the idea that memory is a fragile and malleable reconstruction, rather than a faithful recording. Think of a time when you have had a disagreement with another person about an event; how might the fallacy of memory help explain the apparent incompatibility between you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What are your thoughts on “neurolaw” and the idea that our justice system should incorporate brain biology when assessing culpability. How does this relate to current debates around approaches to criminal justice?

2. The book explores how the brain’s instinct to form an “ingroup” can create an “outgroup,” a dynamic that can lead to dehumanization. Where do you see these neurological tendencies playing out in modern society, whether in politics, on social media, or in global conflicts?

3. How does Eagleman’s framing of addiction as a biological problem, a battle between brain networks, challenge common societal narratives about willpower and morality? What kind of policy changes might this scientific understanding encourage?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Which of Eagleman’s central metaphors did you find most helpful for understanding a complex idea? How did these creative comparisons make the science more accessible?

2. What is the significance of Eagleman positioning himself as a “curator” and guide through the brain’s “inner cosmos”? How does his narrative voice shape your experience as a reader?

3. What effect do the chapter headings have on the reader’s approach to the content?

4. The final chapter shifts from explaining the brain as it is to speculating on what it will become through technology. Did this seem like a logical extension of the book’s core themes, or a departure? Explain why using examples.

5. Eagleman’s use of case studies to explore the brain is often compared to the work of Oliver Sacks in books like The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (1985). If you are familiar with Sacks’s work, how would you compare the two authors’ narrative approaches?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Eagleman’s lab developed the VEST to allow people to “hear” through vibrations on their torso. If you could design a new form of sensory substitution or augmentation, what new sense would you want to give humans? What kind of data would you want to perceive directly?

2. Imagine you were tasked with creating a modern version of the “trolley dilemma” to explore the conflict between our logical and emotional networks. What kind of scenario would you design to test modern-day dilemmas? What variations could you design to reveal different outcomes?

3. Consider Eagleman’s discussion of the unreliability of memory. Think of an event that you feel you remember clearly. Now write an account of that same event from a different perspective, showing how memory is subjective.