Endangered Minds

Is today's fast-paced media culture creating a toxic environment for our children's brains? In this landmark, bestselling assessment tracing the roots of America's escalating crisis in education, Jane M. Healy, Ph.D., examines how television, video games, and other components of popular culture compromise our children's ability to concentrate and to absorb and analyze information. Drawing on neuropsychological research and an analysis of current educational practices, Healy presents in clear, understandable language: -- How growing brains are physically shaped by experience -- Why television programs -- even supposedly educational shows like Sesame Street -- develop "habits of mind" that place children at a disadvantage in school -- Why increasing numbers of children are diagnosed with attention deficit disorder -- How parents and teachers can make a critical difference by making children good learners from the day they are born

One of America's most prominent psychiatrists reveals the missing link between neuroscience and the qualities that make us fully human, arguing that new child-rearing patterns and impersonal technologies may interrupt the natural development of children.

Integrating findings from bilingualism research with the study of endangered languages, this book gives new perspectives for both fields.

Do you sometimes feel you have to check your intellect at the church door, leaving reason behind to embrace the Christian faith? Do you hunger for a “full gospel” that includes the mind as well as heart and Spirit? Full Gospel, Fractured Minds? challenges charismatic and Pentecostal believers to discover the power of a well-maintained mind—a mind on fire—to match a heart on fire and to create a life that operates within the full counsel of God . Nañez shows how human reason helps us understand and interpret God’s Word as well as defend the gospel. He shows what the Bible teaches about the mind, and explores the backgrounds of nineteenth-century and modern culture, anti-intellectualism, Pentecostal history and beliefs, and popular misconceptions about human intellect in relation to the Christian faith. Full Gospel, Fractured Minds? helps men and women practice a Christian faith that reflects the whole person and the full gospel. “Rick Nañez calls Pentecostals and charismatics to seek a balance between mind and Spirit. This book will stir you to seek all that God has for you.” —From the Foreword by Stanley M. Horton, PhD

From National Book Award Finalist Eliot Schrefer comes the compelling tale of a girl who must save a group of bonobos -- and herself -- from a violent coup. Congo is a dangerous place, even for people who are trying to do good.When Sophie has to visit her mother at her sanctuary for bonobos, she's not thrilled to be there. Then Otto, an infant bonobo, comes into her life, and for the first time she feels responsible for another creature.But peace does not last long for Sophie and Otto. When an armed revolution breaks out in the country, the sanctuary is attacked, and the two of them must escape unprepared into the jungle. Caught in the crosshairs of a lethal conflict, they must struggle to keep safe, to eat, and to live. In ENDANGERED, Eliot Schrefer plunges us into a heart-stopping exploration of the things we do to survive, the sacrifices we make to help others, and the tangled geography that ties us all, human and animal, together.

From New York Times bestselling author Millie Marotta comes this gorgeous celebration of the animal kingdom. A Wild Child's Guide to Endangered Animals highlights the plight of 43 endangered species from around the world, including rare and well-known animals living in freshwater, oceans, forests, mountains, tundras, deserts, grasslands, and wetlands. Vivid illustrations bring caribous, axolotls, giraffes, agami herons, and many more to life on these rich and varied pages. Illuminating text relays the story of each species, from how they live and why they are endangered to what is being done about it. Complete with a map detailing where each species can still be found, this visually rich, timely, informative book raises awareness in the most spectacular way.

In this incisive and controversial book, Richard Stivers rejects genetic explanations of psychological problems, arguing instead that the very organization of technological societies is behind the pervasive experience of loneliness. In its extreme form, loneliness assumes pathological dimensions in neurosis and schizophrenia, which reflect the contradiction between power and meaninglessness that characterizes modern life. Loneliness, in its many manifestations, seems to be the price we must pay for living in a technological world. Yet nurturing family, friend, and community ties can mitigate its culturally and psychologically disorganizing power. This book is a clarion call for a renewal of moral awareness and custom to combat the fragmentation and depersonalization of our technological civilization. Visit our website for sample chapters!