another great book

I'm reading a copy of Proust Was a Neuroscientist, by Jonah Lehrer (thanks for the Christmas gift, Dad!). It's about how certain artists "discovered" scientific concepts that were ahead of their time. For example, Escoffier the famous 19th/20th century French chef discovered umami--the fifth taste (savory or hearty)--that scientists are only now discovering in glutamates. I just finished the chapter on how Walt Whitman insisted in the wholeness of his body/mind/soul, predating the scientific discoveries of how the emotions arise from the physical body (and debunked the mind/body split so famous in Greek and Christian thought). Now I'm reading about how George Eliot. It's not clear what she discovered, but it contains some fascinating information about the human bodies ability to grow neurons. There's some great stuff about how stress and environmental conditions inhibit the growth of neurons, but that a change of environment and better care can stimulate the growth of neurons. To me, it's an argument about spreading the wealth and ensuring basic healthcare and living conditions can raise the happiness and intelligence of...well, of the whole world. Good book, worth reading.