Maria Konnikova

The "Literally Psyched" columnist for Scientific American draws on neuroscience and psychology studies while analyzing the deductive strategies used by the character of Sherlock Holmes to counsel readers on how to promote mental strength, clearer observation and effective problem-solving.

How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes

Mastermind

Alfredo santos

*A tad disappointed*

I waited for almost a year to read this book since it was on my 2016 reading list and had others before. 

Since it came out I got it on my kindle and had very high expectations. I made my self ideas of what the book would be about, and as the title suggested, I expected a crash course on understanding the mental process of "deduction" that distinguishes mr. Holmes. 

To start my review, I have to say that it felt as if this was a PhD or a Master Thesis on Conan Doyle's character and his interpretations in different situations with a bit of a re-write in order to fit a larger commercial audience. For starters I found it a bit annoying that you must have read ALL of Sherlocks Holmes collection to understand what she was trying to explain. And regarding the analysis of the methods? they were very superficial, hard to emulate and were more focused in the "mindset" or mind-process Sherlock was having, than a good explanation in how to achieve or start to train certain processes. That is why I felt that this book was more of a PhD thesis regarding Sherlock Holmes rather than a non-fiction book. 

Why didn't I give it one star? because of her research and bibliography. You can literally skip to the last pages and see the books used in the research and from that you'll gain more value than the book it self.

Ken Yuen

Great intro to psychology through the lens of Sherlock Holmesian style of thinking.

Draws on neuroscience and psychology studies while analyzing the deductive strategies used by the character of Sherlock Holmes to suggest how to promote mental strength, clearer observation, and effective problem-solving.

Magdalene Lim

With great expectation comes great disappointment. After buying this book, I opened the plastic wrap with as much excitement as a kid opening a box of 25 praline chocolates, not knowing what to expect. True, there were snippets of Sherlock stories explained with social psychology theories (E.g. availability heuristic, stereotype threat...) but the writing failed to keep me hooked.

I am not sure what I have learnt from this book, other than the importance of having a quiet, reflective mind and being one who is very observant and imaginative. Good pointers but needless to have to pay and plough through the entire book to uncover.

The New York Times bestselling guide to thinking like literature's greatest detective. "Steven Pinker meets Sir Arthur Conan Doyle" (Boston Globe), by the author of The Confidence Game. No fictional character is more renowned for his powers of thought and observation than Sherlock Holmes. But is his extraordinary intellect merely a gift of fiction, or can we learn to cultivate these abilities ourselves, to improve our lives at work and at home? We can, says psychologist and journalist Maria Konnikova, and in Mastermind she shows us how. Beginning with the “brain attic”—Holmes’s metaphor for how we store information and organize knowledge—Konnikova unpacks the mental strategies that lead to clearer thinking and deeper insights. Drawing on twenty-first-century neuroscience and psychology, Mastermind explores Holmes’s unique methods of ever-present mindfulness, astute observation, and logical deduction. In doing so, it shows how each of us, with some self-awareness and a little practice, can employ these same methods to sharpen our perceptions, solve difficult problems, and enhance our creative powers. For Holmes aficionados and casual readers alike, Konnikova reveals how the world’s most keen-eyed detective can serve as an unparalleled guide to upgrading the mind.

Halsted Mencotti Bernard

I love Sherlock Holmes. I wanted to love this book, too, and expected I would at least like it, based on the blurb and the subtitle. The author obviously loves Holmes, too, which saved this from being a one-star review, because I did enjoy the excerpts from Doyle's stories. Regardless, I gave up about a third of the way through because the book was just so padded and I didn't care enough about thinking like Sherlock Holmes to continue slogging through it.

Keven Wang

Mrigank

Matthew Rasnake

Ethan Hussong

Ferit Tenöz

Angelo Zinna

Filippo Tosetto

Christian Rotzoll

No fictional character is more renowned for his extraordinary powers of mind than Sherlock Holmes. But what exactly is it that sets him apart as a detective of the highest order, and can we harness his genius? In Mastermind, psychologist Maria Konnikova shows us how we can all channel Holmes's famous powers of deduction, observation, memory and imagination. Drawing on the latest research in neuroscience and psychology, Konnikova unpacks the mental strategies that can help sharpen our perceptions, improve our logic and enhance our creative powers. Mastermind is a remarkable and entertaining guide to upgrading the mind.

Mastermind How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes

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