Elastic: Unlocking Your Brain's Ability to Embrace Change

"Absorbing. . . . [Mlodinow] skillfully weaves scientific findings with stories of people, events, and the natural world."
--The New York Times Book Review

"Leonard Mlodinow will make you smarter."
--Seth MacFarlane

"Ingenious . . . top-quality popular neuroscience."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Incorporating the most recent developments in psychology and neuroscience, award-winning science writer Mlodinow. . . elucidates how the human mind evolved a cognitive style he names 'elastic thinking.' . . . Fantastically accessible science writing. . . . Of particular interest to those wishing to understand how to cope with the pace of change in the modern world."
--Library Journal (starred review)

"Timely and engrossing. Elastic is a fascinating exploration of one of the most important topics: how the human mind deals with change. If you liked Subliminal, you'll love Elastic."
--Charles Duhigg, author of the best sellers The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better

"It's easy to describe the dizzying changes in our midst--from the gushers of information that wash over us to a world grown ever more interconnected. Far harder is to offer guidance on how we should respond. In this wise and persuasive book, Leonard Mlodinow calls for a change in the very way we think. Using a deft mix of science and storytelling, he shows the limits of linear thinking and the promise of 'bottom up' thinking that embraces ambiguity, asks the shrewd questions, and pursues novel answers to complex problems. Elastic is a book that will help you survive the whirlwind."
--Daniel H. Pink, author of WHEN and A WHOLE NEW MIND

"A fascinating, useful look into how the brain works. Perfect for neophiliacs and everyone else who's dealing with a changing world."
--Seth Godin, author of Footprints on the Moon

"In a world in which advancing technologies, omnipresent social media, and fiery political landscapes can make us feel helpless and paralyzed, Mlodinow shows us how our most human traits, such as novelty seeking and free-range imagination, have uniquely prepared us to thrive in an increasingly complex and ever-changing world. Most important, in the groundbreaking book he shows us how to make the best use of our most basic human talents to find true happiness and success."
--Dr. Rudolph Tanzi, Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology, Harvard University, and author of the New York Times best seller Super Brain

"A book of sparkling intelligence, written with humor and grace. If you read only one book of accessible science this year, let this be the one."
--Mark Williams, author of Mindfulness, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Oxford

The best-selling author of Subliminal and The Drunkard’s Walk teaches you how to tap into the hidden power of your brain.
 
“Elastic is a book that will help you survive the whirlwind.”
—Daniel H. Pink, author of When and A Whole New Mind

Named to the 800-CEO-READ Business Book Awards Longlist
 
In this startling and provocative look at how the human mind deals with change, Leonard Mlodinow shows us to unleash the natural abilities we all possess so we can thrive in dynamic and troubled times. Truly original minds capitalize when everyone else struggles. And most of us assume that these abilities are innate, reserved for a select few. But Mlodinow reveals that we all possess them, that we all have encoded in our brains a skill he terms elastic thinking—and he guides us in how to harness it.

Drawing on groundbreaking research, Mlodinow outlines how we can learn to let go of comfortable ideas and become accustomed to ambiguity and contradiction; how we can rise above conventional mindsets and reframe the questions we ask; and how we can improve our ability to solve problems and generate new ideas—critical skills for achieving professional and personal success in our quickly morphing world.