• Ellen de Visser is a science journalist for the one of the leading Dutch daily newspapers De Volkskrant. After speaking with a grieving Oncologist who had taken the afternoon off to attend a funeral to bid ‘farewell’ to a patient who had become his friend and ‘from whom he had learnt a great deal.’ Elllen posed the internal question – ‘where there other doctors out there, who had also felt impacted by a particular patient (or their families) or preoccupied with the memory or circumstances surrounding a patient. The idea formed the inspiration for a series of columns published in the De Volkskrant in the summer of 2017. Initially, it was only going to be six columns, however as time progressed and the awareness of the column took off, doctors were eager to participate and share their story. Most interviewees knew exactly who they were going to talk about.

    The stories then became this international bestselling book and it has been translated into several languages. There are heartfelt stories and such openness from different medical professionals who show they are much more than a person in a ‘white coat,’ and who have also had the chance to grow and learn: about their profession, about life, and about themselves.

    A brain game changing book that I unexpectedly came across that showed a humanistic lens of medical experts. I brought this for a medical practitioner and such a worthy read! Enjoy!

  • This book was recommended by a friend who has a passion for literature and theatre.This beautifully written memoir and Winner of the Human Rights Award for Non-Fiction, takes us through the journey of living in Melbourne in the mid seventies.

    At an all-boys Catholic school in Melbourne, Timothy Conigrave fell wildly and sweetly in love with the captain of the football (AFL) team. So began a relationship that was to last for 15 years, a love affair that weathered disapproval, separation and, ultimately death. Holding the Man recreates that relationship. With honesty and insight it explores the highs and lows of any partnership: the intimacy, constraints, temptations. And the strength of heart both men had to find when they tested positive to HIV. It also sheds light on the media and what medical treatment took place when HIV first came to light.

    This is a book as refreshing and uplifting as it is moving; a funny and sad and celebratory account of growing up gay. A stage adaptation premiered in Sydney, as well as London's West End and Los Angeles, winning multiple awards.

    It has also been transformed into a motion picture, featuring some of Australia's finest actors Georgeory Rush, Anthony La Paglia and Guy Pearce.

    I could not put it down! Written with such articulation, it truly makes you smile, laugh and pull on the heart strings as you turn every page with its honesty and rawness.

  • This New York Best Seller was a recommendation from a friend. This Historical Fiction is set in South Carolina in 1964. The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free.

    They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come. It was also turned into an award winning Motion Picture and released in 2008. (I have yet to see it).

    I highly recommend this book! The author Sue Monk Kidd is a beautiful wordsmith that transports you back in time with descriptive backdrops and takes you on a real rollercoaster of an adventure.

  • Dr. Jandial, is a World Leading Neuroscientist and Neurosurgeon and the author of 10 academic books and 100 published journal papers. However, Life Lessons From A Brain Surgeon was his first book for general audiences.

    This Sunday Times Bestseller is a great practical and resourceful read, with each chapter delving into the complexities and the wonders of our most precious organ. There are also beautifully written examples of some significant patients - beautiful storytelling.

    He also gives practical tools to enhance brain performance, brain nutrition, boosting memory, and the benefits of learning a new language. Throughout different chapters Dr. Jandial also gives research and insight with busting popular myths, brain geek and brain gym through narrating real life studies.

    Dr. Jandial has also featured on various podcasts - Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd, Live Better Feel More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee and tv shows Superhuman and Brain Surgery Live with Mental Floss. His passion, curiosity and dedication shines through. However, he also presents as a guy who you can sit down and have a coffee or beer with.

    Diversity of experiences allows for broadening the repertoire of neurons in the brain.

    - Dr. Rahul Jandial -

  • Alright, alright, alright! Sorry I had to do that! Isn’t that what we all think when we hear the name Matthew McConaughy. I am not a die fan, but have particularly enjoyed his performances in A Time To Kill and The Dallas Buyers Club where he deservedly won an Oscar for his role.

    This New York Times Best Seller was promoted everywhere, within the midst of a global pandemic and whilst home in the early days of my recovery, I was curious to check it out.

    Described as the No.1 celebrity memoir of the last 10 years by USA Today. He gives a raw, honest and personal view of the adventures of his life, through reflecting on his diaries. He articulates his experiences of ‘How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me.’

    What Matthew McConaughy is wanting the reader to experience - ‘Hopefully, it’s medicine that tastes good, a couple of aspirin instead of the infirmary, a spaceship to Mars without needing your pilot’s license, going to church without having to be born again, and laughing through the tears.’

    It’s a love letter. To life.

    It’s also a guide to catching more greenlights—and to realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too.

    It made me smile, laugh, reflect and ponder on the times of my own yellow and red lights and to savor the green ones.

Reading improves brain function by activating memory, enhancing vocabulary and triggering the limbic system which allows you to retain new information, whilst connecting you emotionally. Just to name a few! 

I was the occasional reader; however it became an interest after I realised the benefits of sitting down to read a book. After experiencing a brain haemorrhage, I made a vow to myself to actively maintain a reading list. 

Curious about all things human related, the brain, science, philosophy, human behaviour and development and who doesn't love a good fictional twist! I delve into all the genres and am sharing the ride with you.

Some of these books have been recommended, some I bought or stumbled across, others have been kindly gifted along the way. If you have stumbled across a great read, share it with me by email or send me a direct message on Instagram @thebraingamechanger. I am always looking for the next book to add to the list and pay forward. 

I share my summary of each book to inspire you to get your mind in a book! I’d love to hear what you think of them!

Fuel your mind with the wonder of words


  • OUT OF MY MIND

    I first came across the book Out of My Mind, whilst doing some relief teaching with a lovely group of year 3 and 4 students, in mid-year 2022. Their teacher would read a chapter during quiet time or while everyone was eating lunch and after one chapter I knew I had to get this book! The conversations I had with the students throughout this process were also quite amazing!

    Written by NYT bestselling author and professional educator Sharon M. Draper, this realistic fiction, shares the journey of Melody, a fifth grader, born with cerebral palsy. She cannot walk, or talk, yet she has a photographic memory and phenomenal intellect! With a loving and supportive family, a good neighbour, and an attentive student teacher, Melody is doing her best to navigate through an education system, this is ‘normal.’ Meeting superficial assumptions and ignorant peers, Melody is set up with a computer, with a keyboard (Medi-talker) that can allow her to “talk.” When she is transitioned to a mainstream classroom, Melody is able to contribute her thoughts, enough to make it to the national quiz team finals. This will leave her devastated, and to be honest it stayed with me for days. It made me challenge preconceived ideas and look at these factors with a new perspective.

    However, this story will benefit and impact anyone who reads it. Melody has sass, grit, resilience, and determination in abundance. It speaks volumes about the quiet strength and courage in pain or adversity to manage disabilities and misconceptions. I am Team Melody all the way! This book is now being adapted into a movie to feature on Disney+.

    OUT OF MY HEART

    Published in 2021, we meet Melody who is a year older and a year braver. Now with her Medi-Talker Melody has a plan on how she wants to spend her summer: there is a camp for children like her a few hours from home and her mission is to go. Camp Green Glade has all sorts of activities from swimming to horseback riding, specifically catering to children with cerebral palsy and other physical challenges.

    A beautiful and solid follow-up to the successful Out Of Your Mind novel, we see Melody achieving so many new milestones. This book really focused on what she was conquering, as opposed to the many difficulties she faced personally, physically, and socially in the first story. Melody makes friends, blossoms in her resilience, feels accepted, and experiences new matters of the heart.

    I would recommend reading the first book before starting the second. Both novels are great to learn about other people who are different from themselves. Even though the target audience is young and adolescent readers, I strongly recommend everyone get their hands on this book. It is an inspiring gamechanger!

    You can follow Sharon. M Draper on Instagram - @sharonmdraper

  • MasterChef (MC) has played a significant role within my life since it aired many years ago, and especially during the early stages of my recovery when I was not incredibly mobile. Watching it was like experiencing a warm hug, and who does not like damn good food!

    I also had the pleasure of interviewing Max Krapivsky, a recent MC contestant in Season 2 of TBGC podcast- check it out! You can also find Max on Instagram @mkrap

    Initially, Jock appeared as a guest judge on MC for 3 seasons, and then in 2019 was announced as one of the new MasterChef Australia judges alongside Andy Allen and Melissa Leong.

    Born in Glasgow to an Italian father and Scottish mother, Jock Zonfrillo’s formative years were heavily influenced by his respective cultures. His culinary path has led him to work with Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay, and David Cavalier.

    Moving to Australia, his food palate deviated in discovering the taste and origins of Australia’s Indigenous cuisine and he opened Orana in Adelaide in 2013, which then closed in 2020. However, before all his successes, Jock's memoir highlights his younger chef's life as a reckless drug addict, claiming he had his last shot of heroin before boarding his flight to Australia.

    An incredibly raw, candid, and reflective story, with healthy tablespoons of colourful language throughout, sharing this journey has not been sugar-coated. He has received some criticism from those he has mentioned in his book, stating that some events have been exaggerated, however, Jock and his publishers still stand by his story. So I will leave that one with you!

    Now happily married with children, his mental health is in check, and I believe he can eat copious amounts of food like he is training for an eating marathon, Jock is hoping his words will resonate with many about the journey of addiction, being at the ultimate all-time lows and how you can come out the other side.

    A good read with parts making you laugh and other parts incredibly sobering. Enjoy!

  • I recommended this book years ago and have since gone on to read many of her other amazing books that take you on a wonderful adventure. Most recently The Moroccan Daughter!

    A fictional dialogue that can represent the tones of real life: the story of a remarkable little coffee shop in Kabul. We are introduced to five main characters, Sunny, the proud proprietor of the coffee shop. Yazmina, a young pregnant woman, stolen from her village and now abandoned in Kabul. Candice is a wealthy American woman who has finally left her husband. Isabel, a reputable journalist, hiding a story of her own and Halajan, an older mother, whose long standing love affair is against all the rules. Each with a story and a secret, whose lives will be spun together in a web of intrigue, resilience, trust, loss and forged friendships. Unique bonds will be formed that will change their lives and the many lives of others.

    Deborah Rodriguez is a NYT Bestseller of her book Kabul Beauty and the International Best Selling novel The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul. There are also Margarita Wednesdays: a Memoir, Return To The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, The Zanzibar Wife, Island On The Edge of the World and The Moroccan Daughter.

    I enjoyed how each book also beautifully described the landscape, the culture, the food and the individual beauty of each destination that features in these novels. An easy and enjoyable read.

  • About 4 months into my recovery, I put a Facebook post up asking what people were reading. A few of those recommendations feature in ‘What I’m Reading,’ and noticeably so was this book American Dirt. It has featured in the Oprah Winfrey Book Club, whilst also receiving praised reviews from John Grisham and Stephen King.

    From the first pages, this fully charged novel tells the story of a middle class Mexican woman Lydia and her 8 year old son Luca, who are suddenly forced to flee for their lives from Acapulco drug cartel and seek refuge across the The United States border. They say, ‘it is not about the destination but more about the journey,’ each page of this novel takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride of survival, desperation, loss and grit, resilience and hope. There are so many twists and turns in each chapter.

    I was quite ignorant to the controversy surrounding this book, which has been described as ‘cultural misrepresentation’ and ‘misleading as a universal migrant experience.’ The author, who is of Irish and Puerto Rican descent, has been respectfully acclaimed by writing peers, yet has also been vilified for writing this book. Even to the point that her national book tour was cancelled due to safety concerns for all involved.

    This novel was promoted in the fictional category and has made me more intrigued about the beauty of Mexico and the underworld surrounding it and I would recommend it. It has created conversations that seem to be necessary about representation.

  • A recommendation from an old colleague who suggested this book when I first announced the launching of my podcast!

    Written by Leigh Sales (AM), one of Australia’s most respected journalists, author and anchor with the ABC network. Any Ordinary Day is a warm, candid and empathic book that highlights how any given day, ordinary people can endure the unthinkable.

    There are many intimate layers in the true stories that are shared, from terrorism to natural disasters and they are weaved with respect and integrity. Quite a few of the encounters discussed were also headline news across all forms of national and international media.

    Expecting broken lives, she instead finds strength, hope, even humour. ‘Leigh brilliantly condenses the cutting-edge research on the way the human brain processes fear and grief, and poses the questions we too often ignore out of awkwardness.’ (Goodreads.com).

    Even though the experiences were different to mine, I found myself resonating with the common theme of shock, disbelief, the ebbs and flow of grief and going forward in life. Taking those steps into the unknown, not being the same person due to the events of one ordinary day, where I woke up like every other day and then out of nowhere went through a major adversity that nearly took my life.

    Leigh Sales is also a Dual winner of the Walkley Award.

  • This book was gifted to me by my friend Peter! He thought it was an amazing read and wanted me to experience it too!

    WTCS has been a Number #1 NYT Bestseller, winner of the Bestseller Award in Japan and named British Book of The Year to name a few big accolades. Intriguing many infamous book club participants and literature discussions, this historical fiction transports us to a small quiet fishing village around the year of 1969.

    Kye, also known as the “Marsh Girl,” does not live within the realms of a ‘normal society’ but takes her life lessons from the land. When the popular Chase Andrews is found dead in the marsh, the locals immediately suspect her.

    Thrown into the spotlight, she has the skills to live in a life of solitude, however yearns for human connection. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

    This beautifully descriptive and articulately written novel is a story about resilience, survival, hope, love, loss, loneliness, desperation, prejudice, determination and strength.

    There have been mixed reviews of when it became a motion picture; produced by Reece Witherspoon's company, Hello Sunshine. However, in my humble opinion, the book is a must read and the film represented the true essence of what you envisage the scenic marsh to look like and the tapestry of a small town mindset.

  • This life changing book was recommended by several different people from all walks of life I have come to know across the globe, so I had to get it! As part of my reading journey I also use a wonderful community library to borrow books and this one I had to get in line and put a reservation on it, before it arrived in my hand months later.

    Edith Eger is a Slovikian-born, renowned American psychologist, Holocaust survivor, and specialist in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

    This award-winning Sunday Times and New York Times Bestselling Memoir is a game changer, described by Desmond Tutu as “one of those rare and eternal stories you don’t want to end.”

    In 1944 at the age of sixteen, Edith, along with her sister and parents, was sent to Auschwitz. Separated from her parents upon arrival, she endures unimaginable experiences and bears witness to many other traumatic events right in front of her. Barely pulled from a concentration camp alive, Edith writes her memoir with dignity and integrity on her journey of further survival and resilience. Getting to America with her husband, how the infamous Viktor Frankl became her close friend and mentor. In her work as a psychologist, helps her patients free themselves from their own thoughts and helps them ultimately choose freedom.

    I have talked about her concept of comparison in my episode - ‘Reaching the 18th Month Milestone Post Brain Haemorrhage.’ (Season 2, Episode 9).

    Dr. Eger has gone on to write another best seller called The Gift - 12 Lessons to Save Your Life. She also has two feature courses, ‘Forgiveness: A Gift I Give Myself,’ and ‘Unlocking Your Potential.’

    As I write this she is 95 years old and you can find her on Instagram @dr.editheger

    A book that in one breath, you cannot believe what you are reading and the many adversities Edith went through, yet, in another breath, you cannot put the book down! A truly heroic woman!

  • I introduce to you Dr. Hannah Korrel, a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Registered Psychologist who has completed over a decade of study to become qualified in conditions of the brain and psychology of relationships. I am delighted to share that Dr. Hannah Korrel will feature in an episode of Season 3 of The Brain Game Changer podcast.

    However, she wears many hats including being the author of this wonderful book “How To Break Up With Friends - from Friendsh*t to Friendsplit, a guide to ditching crappy companions. I recently read this book and it was a refreshingly honest, essential guide about the people we surround ourselves with. There are activities, truth bombs and real life examples that may surprisingly resonate with you. It is also a check in for yourself to see how you are showing up for yourself and others.

    There were so many nuggets of valuable information and insight and I am not going to put all the information on here, but strongly encourage you to go read it! Here are some examples of what I took away.

    There are 4 main significant positive factors for positive relationships -

    Trust

    Respect

    Support

    Affection (this does not just mean physical intimacy).

    At times (for whatever reason) we can misjudge a friendship, and don’t be too hard on yourself when it happens. We can place them at the top of our hierarchy of close friends, while they have placed you at the bottom of theirs.

    Sometimes we want to pretend certain things aren’t a big deal when they actually are and feel unsure about broaching the topic with a friend. “The idea that only crazy emotional, or highly sensitive people complain is a destructive societal norm that has been ingrained in us.” “However, there is nothing wrong with being assertive. It is ok to express your sadness/frustration/discontent in a productive way.”

    “It is not uncommon to think that setting boundaries means doing something extreme. The all or nothing mentality is not healthy. It stops us from accessing the beautiful middle ground where you can achieve self-respect and respect from others.

    “Sometimes we are not able to pinpoint what the problematic behaviour is, but we walk away from the interaction feeling worse than when we entered it.”

    You cannot control how the person is going to respond to your standing in your truth!

    Popularity is not a reflection of your worth, it is a reflection of your network!!!! (GOLD right there)!!

    You can find my information about Dr.Korrel on -

    Instagram - @nobullpsych

    Website - https://hannahkorrel.com/

  • I am the first to confess that I have a bit of a fangirl crush on Mel Robbins! I stumbled across one of her many videos on YouTube a couple of years ago. One of the world's leading motivational speakers, I liked how she validated those lingering thoughts and provided nuggets of valuable tools to use as we navigate through the ebbs and flows of our life experiences.

    The High 5 Habit successfully follows her International Best Seller The 5 Second Rule.

    Some things I took away from recently reading that I am sharing with you!

    Mel shares a moment we all have experienced in the morning, that self criticism as we look in the mirror, which led to a High 5 moment and the journey of creating the book. The High 5 Habits are not about fake praise or forced positive thinking, it is about default programming that keeps you stuck and how to change that.

    The RAS is highlighted throughout the book - Reticular Activating System, which controls sleep and waking and fight/flight responses.(there are examples of what our brain does in those moments, which I loved as I am becoming more geeked out about our brain)!

    Mel draws upon research and her own life examples in providing simple actions/ habits that make you accountable to yourself to break through old ways of doing things, or that fear and self-doubt that may be holding you back. Habit is just a fancy word for pattern - turn them into very simple practices each day. With our neural pathways we can relearn old habits, patterns and turn them into more productive ones. There is no fast tract to transformation, little steps, patterns, habits consistently everyday. The more you repeat the more evidence you see.

    A Biggy tip - No one gets to adulthood without experiencing some kind of trauma from childhood! You don’t have the support system or tools when young to process what is happening, you just absorb it into your nervous system and coping patterns and thoughts. So often self love is shown about “fixing” yourself. Self love is really about falling in love with the parts that you are trying to fix.

    As the saying goes, from little things, big things grow!

    How can you start your High 5 Habit today and become your own awesome cheer squad?

    An enjoyable and motivating read.

    Instagram - @melrobbins