author
Frederick Tilney
1875–1938
A pioneering neurologist turned a complex subject into an ambitious story about how the brain developed and shaped human life. His writing brings early twentieth-century neuroscience to general readers with clarity and sweep.
1 Audiobook
The master of destiny : A biography of the brain
by Frederick Tilney
About the author
Born in Brooklyn in 1875, Frederick Tilney built his career as an American neurologist and teacher. He was associated with Columbia University and became known for his work in neurology and neuroanatomy, as well as for helping lead major neurological institutions in New York.
Tilney also wrote for readers beyond the medical profession. His books included The Form and Functions of the Central Nervous System and The Master of Destiny: A Biography of the Brain, a wide-ranging account of the brain's development and importance in human history.
He died in 1938. Remembered as both a specialist and an explainer, he helped make the study of the nervous system feel vivid and consequential to a broader audience.