Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul

Product Description From a leading expert, a groundbreaking book on the science of play, and its essential role in fueling our happiness and intelligence throughout our lives. We've all seen the happiness on the face of a child while playing in the school yard. Or the blissful abandon of a golden retriever racing across a lawn. This is the joy of play. By definition, play is purposeless, all-consuming, and fun. But as Dr. Stuart Brown illustrates, play is anything but trivial. It is a biological drive as integral to our health as sleep or nutrition. We are designed by nature to flourish through play. Particularly in tough times, we need to play more than ever, as it's the very means by which we prepare for the unexpected, search out new solutions, and remain optimistic. A fascinating blend of cutting-edge neuroscience, biology, psychology, social science, and inspiring human stories of the transformative power of play, this book proves why play just might be the most important work we can ever do. Review "Sprinkled with anecdotes demonstrating the play habits of subjects as diverse as polar bears and corporate CEOs, Brown and co-writer Vaughan present a compelling case for promoting play at every age." ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review About the Author Stuart Brown, MD, lives in Edinburgh and is a charity worker, journalist, and former BBC producer. His work regularly takes him to Africa and the United States.Christopher Vaughan is coauthor, with William C. Dement, MD, PhD, of the national bestseller The Promise of Sleep.Michael Hinton is an actor of stage and screen as well as a voice-over artist, puppeteer, and writer. Classically trained, Michael has performed in New York, the U.K., and regionally throughout New England. He holds a master's degree in professional acting from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, England.