Douwe Draaisma – författare

With a storyteller’s gift and a scientist’s insights, Draaisma celebrates the unique pleasures of the aging memoryYou cannot call to mind the name of a man you have known for 30 years. You walk into a room and forget what you came for. What is the name of that famous film you’ve watched so many times? These are common experiences, and as we grow older we tend to worry about these lapses. Is our memory failing? Is it dementia? Douwe Draaisma, a renowned memory specialist, here focuses on memory in later life. Writing with eloquence and humor, he explains neurological phenomena without becoming lost in specialist terminology. His book is reminiscent of Oliver Sacks’s work, and not coincidentally this volume includes a long interview with Sacks, who speaks of his own memory changes as he entered his sixties. Draaisma moves smoothly from anecdote to research and back, weaving stories and science into a compelling description of the terrain of memory. He brings to light the “reminiscence effect,” just one of the unexpected pleasures of an aging memory. The author writes reassuringly about forgetfulness and satisfyingly dismantles the stubborn myth that mental gymnastics can improve memory. He presents a convincing case in favor of the aging mind and urges us to value the nostalgia that survives as recollection, appreciate the intangible nature of past events, and take pleasure in the consolation of razor-sharp reminiscing.

Sergei Korsakoff, Alois Alzheimer, James Parkinson, Hans Asperger and other eminent scientists, are all names which have become synonymous with a disease, a syndrome, or an autistic disorder. Although the names of these psychiatrists and neurologists are familiar, we often know little about the individuals themselves and the circumstances surrounding their discoveries. What exactly did they discover, and who were their patients? Douwe Draaisma expertly reconstructs the lives of these and eight other 'names' from the science of mind and brain. Disturbances of the Mind provides a fascinating, illuminating, and at times touching insight into the history of brain research. Thanks to Draaisma's unerring eye and elegant, engaging style, the case histories of Asperger, Bonnet, Capgras, Clérambault, Korsakoff and Gilles de la Tourette syndromes; Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases; the areas of Broca and Brodmann; Jackson's epilepsy; and the Gage matrix are all brought to life and transformed into unforgettable tales.

What is memory? It is at the same time ephemeral, unreliable and essential to everything we do. Without memory we lose our sense of identity, reasoning, even our ability to perform simple physical tasks. Yet it is also elusive and difficult to define, and throughout the ages philosophers and psychologists have used metaphors as a way of understanding it. First published in 2000, this fascinating book takes the reader on a guided tour of these metaphors of memory from ancient times to the present day. Crossing continents and disciplines, it provides a compelling history of ideas about the mind by exploring the way these metaphors have been used - metaphors often derived from the techniques and instruments developed over the years to store information, ranging from wax tablets and books to photography, computers and even the hologram. Accessible and thought-provoking, this book should be read by anyone who is interested in memory and the mind.

Is it true, as the novelist Cees Nooteboom once wrote, that 'Memory is like a dog that lies down where it pleases'? Where do the long, lazy summers of our childhood go? Why is it that as we grow older time seems to condense, speed up, elude us, while in old age significant events from our distant past can seem as vivid and real as what happened yesterday? In this enchanting and thoughtful book, Douwe Draaisma, author of the internationally acclaimed Metaphors of Memory, explores the nature of autobiographical memory. Applying a unique blend of scholarship, poetic sensibility and keen observation he tackles such extraordinary phenomena as déj...-vu, near-death experiences, the memory feats of idiot-savants and the effects of extreme trauma on memory recall. Raising almost as many questions as it answers, this fascinating book will not fail to touch you at the same time as it educates and entertains.

Entertaining and educational, Douwe Draaisma's Why Life Speeds Up As You Get Older raises almost as many questions as it answers. Draaisma applies a blend of scholarship, poetic sensibility and keen observation in exploring the nature of autobiographical memory, covering subjects such as déj...-vu, near death experiences and the effect of severe trauma on memory recall, as well as human perceptions of time at different stages in life. A highly accessible and personal read, this book will not fail to touch or provoke thought in its readers.

Sergei Korsakoff, Alois Alzheimer, James Parkinson, Hans Asperger and other eminent scientists, are all names which have become synonymous with a disease, a syndrome, or an autistic disorder. Although the names of these psychiatrists and neurologists are familiar, we often know little about the individuals themselves and the circumstances surrounding their discoveries. What exactly did they discover, and who were their patients? Douwe Draaisma expertly reconstructs the lives of these and eight other ''names'' from the science of mind and brain. Disturbances of the Mind provides a fascinating, illuminating, and at times touching insight into the history of brain research. Thanks to Draaisma''s unerring eye and elegant, engaging style, the case histories of Asperger, Bonnet, Capgras, Clérambault, Korsakoff and Gilles de la Tourette syndromes; Alzheimer''s and Parkinson''s diseases; the areas of Broca and Brodmann; Jackson''s epilepsy; and the Gage matrix are all brought to life and transformed into unforgettable tales.

Sergei Korsakoff, Alois Alzheimer, James Parkinson, Hans Asperger and other eminent scientists, are all names which have become synonymous with a disease, a syndrome, or an autistic disorder. Although the names of these psychiatrists and neurologists are familiar, we often know little about the individuals themselves and the circumstances surrounding their discoveries. What exactly did they discover, and who were their patients? Douwe Draaisma expertly reconstructs the lives of these and eight other ''names'' from the science of mind and brain. Disturbances of the Mind provides a fascinating, illuminating, and at times touching insight into the history of brain research. Thanks to Draaisma''s unerring eye and elegant, engaging style, the case histories of Asperger, Bonnet, Capgras, Clérambault, Korsakoff and Gilles de la Tourette syndromes; Alzheimer''s and Parkinson''s diseases; the areas of Broca and Brodmann; Jackson''s epilepsy; and the Gage matrix are all brought to life and transformed into unforgettable tales.

In The Man Who Lost His Head, Douwe Draaisma explores some of the most bizarre and intriguing brain disorders throughout history. From patients who believe their loved ones have been replaced by doubles or who feel sensations in an arm that was amputated years ago to those who insist they’re dead or have had their heads removed and substituted with another, these cases reveal the mind’s complex way of imposing order amid chaos. Draaisma examines syndromes like Cotard’s and Capgras, where sufferers’ perceptions of self and reality are radically altered, linking delusions to specific brain circuits and cultural context. With engaging storytelling and sharp insights, this book offers a captivating look at the human mind’s remarkable and often mysterious and disturbing workings.

Das Vergessen ist besser als sein Ruf.Das Standardwerk über den Nutzen und Nachteil des Vergessens für das LebenWarum erinnern wir uns so schlecht an unsere Träume? Was passiert mit verdrängten Erinnerungen – wo bleiben sie? Warum ist die Vorstellung eines absoluten Gedächtnisses für uns so verführerisch, ja faszinierend? Warum gibt es Gedächtnistrainings, aber keine Vergessenstechnik?Mit solchen und vielen anderen Fragen nähert sich der holländische Bestsellerautor Douwe Draaisma in Das Buch des Vergessens umfassend, erhellend und unterhaltsam dem interessantesten Aspekt der Gehirnforschung: dem Vergessen. Unser Gedächtnis, so Draaisma, ist wie ein unfolgsames Kind: Woran wir uns erinnern, und woran nicht – darauf haben wir keinen Einfluss. Kein Wunder, dass es so schwer ist, die dahinterstehenden Mechanismen zu erkennen.Douwe Draaisma lädt seine Leser ein zu einem Streifzug durch Psychologie, Philosophie und Gehirnforschung, die sich seit Jahrhunderten mit dem Vergessen befassen. Er erzählt von Schlaflabors und Traumprotokollen, von Gehirnoperationen und Patientenschicksalen, er beschäftigt sich mit den neusten Techniken der Traumatherapie genauso wie er seinen Blick auf die Pioniere der Gedächtnisforschung richtet.Ein spannendes Buch, das vor allem eins klarmacht: Vergessen ist besser als sein Ruf.

Wie wir träumen - Entdecken Sie die faszinierende Welt unseres nächtlichen Seelenlebens!Ob Flug-, Nackt-, Alb- oder Prüfungsträume, ob erotische oder prophetische Träume – der renommierte Psychologe Douwe Draaisma kennt sie alle. In seinem Buch Wie wir träumen präsentiert er auf spannende und unterhaltsame Weise die neuesten Erkenntnisse und Geschichten aus der Traum- und Schlafforschung.Warum träumen wir immer wieder davon, durch längst bestandene Prüfungen zu fallen? Wie kommt es zu der peinlichen Vorstellung, plötzlich nackt in der Öffentlichkeit zu stehen? Und weshalb können wir im Traum fliegen? Draaisma geht diesen und vielen weiteren Fragen auf den Grund und liefert faszinierende Antworten.Auf seiner Reise durch die Welt der Träume stößt er dabei auf immer neue spannende Themen: Wie träumen eigentlich Blinde? Träumen wir in Farbe oder Schwarz-Weiß? Und wie kommt es, dass wir manchmal im Traum wissen, dass wir träumen?Mit Wie wir träumen präsentiert Douwe Draaisma eine äußerst kurzweilige und faktenreiche Darstellung aller Aspekte unseres träumerischen Nachtlebens. Ein Buch, das nicht nur Psychologie-Interessierte fesseln wird, sondern jeden, der schon immer mehr über die rätselhafte Welt seiner Träume erfahren wollte.

Halbe Wahrheiten enthüllt die erstaunliche Natur unserer Erinnerungen und wie sie uns täuschen können.In diesem faszinierenden Buch erforscht der renommierte Psychologe Douwe Draaisma die Tricks und Fallen des menschlichen Gedächtnisses. Viele von uns glauben, sich genau daran erinnern zu können, wo sie waren und was sie taten, als sie von schockierenden Ereignissen wie 9/11 oder dem Tod von John F. Kennedy oder Prinzessin Diana erfuhren. Doch wie Draaisma zeigt, entsprechen diese "Blitzlichterinnerungen" selten der Wahrheit, sondern formen sich erst mit der Zeit.Erinnerungen werden durch spätere Erfahrungen ständig umgeschrieben und neu interpretiert. So beginnt jemand, der erfährt, dass er ein Kuckuckskind ist, seine Familiengeschichte in einem völlig neuen Licht zu sehen. Lange Vergessenes taucht plötzlich wieder auf und fügt sich zu einem veränderten Bild zusammen.Draaisma argumentiert überzeugend, dass unsere Erinnerungen bestenfalls Versionen der Vergangenheit bieten - und somit immer nur "halbe Wahrheiten" sein können. Mit Blick auf die Erforschung einer "Vergessenspille", wie sie etwa in der Traumatherapie entwickelt wird, wirft er auch die Frage auf, welche Rolle Erinnerungen für unsere Identität spielen. Ein Buch, das unser Verständnis von Erinnerung und Persönlichkeit herausfordert und bereichert.