Top 5 Neuroscience Books to Read in 2023

I am a graduate student a Brown University pursuing a PhD in neuroscience. I am specifically interested in the therapeutic and rehabilitative applications of brain-computer interfaces and neuromodulation. In my free time, I love reading non-fiction books relating to neuroscience.

Here are my top five recommendations to read in 2023:

1. When Breath Becomes Air — Paul Kalanithi

Autobiographical memoir about a neurosurgeon and neuroscientist who is diagnosed with terminal cancer in the last year of his residency. A story that uses incredible prose to make you reflect on death, love, and the boundaries of science.

2. Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind — Andy Dunn

An eye-opening memoir that sheds light on the mental health struggles that several entrepreneurs face. Candid and honest; it certainly provided with me more insight about the struggles that those with bipolar disorder face.

3. Why We Sleep : Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams — Matthew Walker

First heard about this through Andrew Huberman. Probably one of the most underrated and overlooked topics for improving your wellness. Truly an eye-opening book that changed the way I think about sleep.

4. Projections: A Story of Human Emotions — Karl Deisseroth

A series of anecdotal experiences from the clinic, rich with humanity, told from the perspective of a psychiatrist. Karl Deisseroth then puts on his scientist hat and ruminates on the origins of these observations from the clinic and how one might use scientific tools to probe for the mechanisms underlying behavior.

5. Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe — Jane Goodall

A fascinating window into the minds of our ancestors, especially their social dynamics. Incredibly impressed with Jane Goodall’s dedication to following chimps through the jungle documenting their behavior. Almost tempted me to work with primates for my PhD.