Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
As usual, I received this book for nothing from a GoodReads giveaway but despite that kindness I give it my candid opinion below.
Our author’s submission is one of those that tries to be two things at once, cross-selling you on a bit of neuroscience in the context of Sherlock Holmes as favorite fictional genius. The basic format boils down to something like this:
* Quote from a Sherlock Holmes story
* Here’s what Holmes did that was so genius
* Here’s what Watson, mental midget, did.
* Don’t be like Watson; here’s how you can think more like Holmes
As a pattern, it’s not bad. Assuming the reader is a fan of Holmes, it’s a fairly good gateway to the headier topics of Neuroscience and Psychology.
Personally, I found the whole thing rather cloying. I’ve read a dozen books on this topic so the slow and easy introduction to the science was rather annoying and ponderous. I found myself skimming over the quotes and introductory banter to find the real meat of what she was trying to get at.
So in summary, a good introduction to the topic if you’re a fan of Holmes. If you’re past the introductory stage though, best to look elsewhere. There really is a lot of noise and at the end of it the material covered is done more incisively in other popular works on the topic.
The Tattered Thread 