160,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ 

Overnight Shipping! Auckland Store open 7 days, 8:30am-5pm πŸ“š

The Idiot Brain

Why Your Brain Gets Things Wrong and Why That's Alright
Brief Description
WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION AND AFTERWORD 'A great read.' JON RONSON 'A wonderful introduction to neuroscience.' INDEPENDENT Have you wondered why we recognise people's faces but forget their names? Or why we get motion sickness? Or jet lag, too, for that matter. And why do we... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of The Idiot Brain. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

10th ANNIVERSAY EDITION: From neuroscientist and internationally bestselling author Dean Burnett comes The Idiot Brain, an accessible, witty examination of how our brains get things wrong - and why that's absolutely fine.

10th Anniversary Edition

From neuroscientist and internationally bestselling author Dean Burnett comes The Idiot Brain, an accessible, witty examination of how our brains get things wrong - and why that's absolutely fine.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION AND AFTERWORD

'A great read.' JON RONSON

'A wonderful introduction to neuroscience.' INDEPENDENT

Have you wondered why we recognise people's faces but forget their names? Or why we get motion sickness? Or jet lag, too, for that matter. And why do we overthink even the smallest things in our lives?

For something supposedly so brilliant and evolutionarily advanced, the human brain is pretty messy, fallible and disorganised. In The Idiot Brain, neuroscientist Dean Burnett celebrates the imperfections of the human brain in all their glory, and the impact of these quirks on our daily lives.

Covering anxiety, memory, intelligence and personality, this expertly researched and entertainingly written book is for anyone who has wondered why their brain seems to get things wrong, and what on earth it's really up to.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781783353248

Publisher: Guardian Faber Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 January 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Guardian Faber Publishing

Edition: Main - Re-Issue

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Dean Burnett is a neuroscientist, blogger, sometimes-comedian and author. He is currently an honorary research fellow at the Cardiff University Psychology School. His books have been international bestsellers and have sold in twenty-seven countries.

Burnett is a regular columnist for the BBC Science Focus Magazine and hosts the podcast Why Does This Thing Exist? with Simon Feeley; he previously wrote the science column 'Brain Flapping' for The Guardian, which was read over sixteen million times.

Also by Dean Burnett

View all
  • Emotional Ignorance
    Recommended by the New Scientist. 'Brilliant.' Stylist, 'Ten new books to bring you comfort and wisdom in 2023' 'Thoughtful and thought-provoking - you need to read this book' - Gina Rippon 'An affecting and illuminating book for anyone who has feelings, and who wants to know why.' - Katie Mack 'The master of understated humour.' BBC Radio Scotland Why can't...
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Emotional Ignorance
    Why do we have nightmares? Get hangry? Relive embarrassing memories? Find canned laughter so annoying - and fake news so effective? Emotions can be a pain. If only we were more rational, life would be a lot easier, wouldn't it? Dean Burnett certainly used to think so. And then, in April 2020, his father died of Covid-19. Suddenly, Dean was...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Happy Brain
    Do you want to be happy? If so - read on. This book has all the answers.* In The Happy Brain, neuroscientist Dean Burnett delves deep into the inner workings of our minds to explore some fundamental questions about happiness. For starters: what does it actually mean to be happy? Where does it come from? And is there a secret...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Why Your Parents Are Hung-Up on Your Phone and What To Do About It
    The book about phones every teen should read, from bestselling author Dean Burnett. 'A wonderfully useful book, told with Dean Burnett's trademark wit and wisdom' - Adam Kay on Why Your Parents Are Driving You up the Wall "Can you get off your phone/ PS5/ Xbox!? NOW!" - Your parents (probably) I bet that you and your parents argue about...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Idiot Brain
    Motion sickness. Nightmares. Forgetting people's names. Why did I walk into this room? For something supposedly so brilliant and evolutionarily advanced, the human brain is pretty messy, fallible and disorganised. In The Idiot Brain, neuroscientist Dean Burnett celebrates the imperfections of the human brain in all their glory, and the impact of these quirks on our daily lives. Expertly researched...
    Paperback
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Psycho-Logical
    One in four people experience a mental health problem each year, with depression and anxiety alone afflicting over 500 million people. Why are these conditions so widespread? What is it about modern life that has such an impact on our mental health? And why is there still so much confusion and stigma around these issues? In Psycho-Logical, bestselling author Dean...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Science & Nature

View all
  • What If? 10th Anniversary Edition
    CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF THE MILLION-SELLING POP SCIENCE CLASSIC WITH A SPECIAL EDITION. THIS IS WHAT IF? . . . x10. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Nerd royalty' β€” BEN GOLDACRE 'Totally brilliant' β€” TIM HARFORD 'Required reading across the world' β€” NEW YORK TIMES From the creator of the wildly popular xkcd.com, experience hilarious and informative answers to important questions...
    Hardback
    $4200
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Nuclear War
    The Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction thriller that has to be read to be believed. Baillie Gifford shortlisted, a favourite of Steven Bartlett, with an average reader rating of 4.6, sure to be a mass-market hit. Up to now, no one outside of official circles has known exactly what would happen if a rogue state launched a nuclear missile at the...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Anxious Generation
    A powerful argument for reclaiming childhoodβ€”and all human relationshipsβ€”from the online world, from the influential social psychologist and international bestselling author. Jonathan Haidt has spent his career speaking truth and wisdom in some of the most difficult spacesβ€”communities polarised by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the mental health emergency hitting teenagers today in many countries around...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Prisoners of Geography
    Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present, and future to offer crucial insights into one of the major factors that determine world history – because if you don’t know geography, you’ll never have the full picture. Originally published in 2015, this completely revised and updated edition brings it up to date with the events and trends of the past...
    Paperback
    $2899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Diddly Squat: Home to Roost
    It's been another memorable year on Diddly Squat Farm - will the chickens finally come home to roost? Welcome back to Clarkson's Farm. The spring crop failed. Farming sheep, pigs, and cows was hardly more lucrative (better off breeding ostriches...) But in the face of uncooperative weather, bureaucracy, and the world's persistent refusal to recognise his genius, our hero's not...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Ultra-Processed People
    Launching the runaway bestseller with ambitions to be the biggest non-fiction paperback of the year IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S THE FOOD. "If you only read one diet or nutrition book in your life, make it this one" - Bee Wilson "You've got to get this book in your life . . . Completely compelling . . . Read a page...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Pokemon Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded 2024
    The essential guide to all things PokΓ©mon, this year’s Encyclopedia includes all of the details of Ash Ketchum’s battle to become PokΓ©mon World Champion! The new updated and expanded final edition of the PokΓ©mon Encyclopedia! Ash Ketchum’s journey to becoming a PokΓ©mon Master, and winner of the Masters Eight World Championships, has come to an end. Travel through all 8...
    Hardback
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Kitchen Confidential
    The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Irvine Welsh. BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN. β€˜Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantino’ β€” A.A. Gill β€˜Fantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioli’ β€” Daily Telegraph After twenty-five years of sex,...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • That's not my... Zoo
    A perfect introduction to zoo animals with eye-catching illustrations, touchy-feely patches and a noisy finale! Discover the fun of the zoo in this sound-book addition to the bestselling That's not my... series. Turn the pages to explore the zoo and meet a monkey, an elephant, a tiger and a parrot in this larger format touchy-feely book. Press the sound button...
    Board book
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Talk
    A Harvard professor shows how we can become better talkers - and why effective conversation will help us all thrive. Conversation is at the heart of our relationships and decision-making, but the science behind our everyday interactions, and how to improve them, is little known. In Talk, Harvard Professor Alison Wood Brooks provides fascinating insights into the power of effective...
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Clean & Green
    Simple swaps and innovative ideas for cleaning and maintaining your home that won't cost the Earth. Learn how easy it is to make simple swaps in your cleaning and tidying methods for a more eco-friendly home. This beautifully illustrated black and white guide with 101 hints and sustainable, natural cleaning tips and hacks will help you take small steps that...
    Paperback
    $2999
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    18% off
    The Genetic Book of the Dead
    From one of the world’s great science writers, a book that explores the deepest principles of evolutionary history. In this groundbreaking new approach to the evolution of all life, Richard Dawkins shows how the body, behaviour, and genes of every living creature can be read as a book – an archive of the worlds of its ancestors. A perfectly camouflaged...
    Hardback
    $4000
    Elsewhere:
    $5499
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 160,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.