Dr. McEwen heads a laboratory at the Rockefeller Institute and is the foremost expert on allostasis.

If you are unfamiliar with the term allostasis, you need to read this book. Dr. McEwen clearly explains the important role that the allostatic system plays in both the body and the brain.

The emphasis in the book is on the impact of stress on the body but the implications for the brain are unavoidable.

The best assessment of this book is from a peer who can fully appreciate it:

"This is a rare and delightful kind of book. It is serious science, the psychology and biology of stress, explained by a leading neuroscientist. But it is also engaging and accessible, and it reads like a novel. If one wants to explore the legitimate science of this area and also understand it, this is the book to read."
Dr. Larry R. Squire, Professor of Psychiatry, Neurosciences and Psychology at the University of California, San Diego