Cognitive Neuroscience- Second Edition Description:

Cognitive Neuroscience, Second Edition review:
4 stars (Not for those without background) - This book is not intended for the general reader, reader with cellular neuroscience background, but has a target audience of advanced undergraduate or graduate level students with relevant background. Also would be useful for the psychology professional without specific or with dated cognitive neuroscience background, or others intending a research or applied clinical career in the area. Appropriate background would necessarily be at least an undergraduate course in cognitive psychology, with additional help provided by biological psychology or a medical professional in neurology. Discussions of principles and mechanisms are at a "functional machinery" level and thus would not make sense to those without some previous training in those principles. It just isn't a basic text, thus, no glossary of basic terms is included. Yes, the material is both abstract and complex, but so is brain function, and we are just beginning to learn. There are very, very few textbooks that survey this area which only became a separate field of study sometime around 1986. Other reading material in the field consists entirely of professional level chapters in compiled and edited texts. The only other broad survey text that I know of is Marie Banich's book on the related area of Cognitive Neuropsychology.
3 stars (Additions to this book) - This book is more like a bunch of journals bound together. The authors introduce new words without previous qualifications. For example, in the chapter of binocular vision, they added spatial normalization and various other models, without telling what exactly they are! Also when I tried to find these terms in relatively basic texts I was unable to find them. Same was the case with internet.It is definitly for advanced learner. (I am doing PhD in neuroscience and still finding it very difficult)To clarify zillions of issue I have to sit with my mentor. Although she is very nice but still the discussion needs a lot of time, which is difficult for her to take out in her busy schedule.In short, this book is recommended if you are doing a specific research and want to know extremely minute details of the ideas, certainly not for a introductory or intermediate learner.
5 stars (Best overall for Cogntive Neuroscience) - I have used it in an upper division undergraduate psychology class, and in my students' rankings of textbooks, this book has consistently been ranked higher than any other text I've used.The level is beyond a simple introductory psychology text, but is very appropriate for the upper division course. The numerous full-color illustrations and photographs are especially helpful in illustrating key points. It covers the full spectrum of the neural basis of cognition, from simple perception through the biology of emotion to the basis of consciousness (with very interesting case studies of brain damaged patients throughout).