MixedNatureThe New Mind Readers is personal and selective. Poldrack gives short shrift to some methods, including brain stimulation, in which magnetic pulses are used to alter brain function directly to probe the specific role of the region targeted. He also skimps on neuroimaging techniques such as magnetoencephalography, which directly measures changes in magnetic fields produced by electrical signals in the brain. This is not an exhaustive account, and Poldrack focuses only on key developments and pioneers close to his own work. Yet his idiosyncratic approach is deeply engaging ... At times, Poldrack loses focus. His brief forays into topics such as the nature of mental illness are unsatisfying: they are too brief and lack the clarity of the rest of the book. Nevertheless, this is a compelling introduction that lucidly spells out the risks of taking media reports at face value, and urges readers to dig into the details.
