Proust Was a Neuroscientist by Jonah Lehrer
There is something intriguing about delving into the secrets of art. That’s one of the reasons art is so attractive to humans: its inability to be explained. Somehow it has the ability to interpret our surroundings and give some meaning to our reality. Of course, there is also art that completely destroys our notions of reality and challenges us to rethink our perceptions. The creative process breaks down to reinvent. Or does it?
In Jonah Lehrer’s Proust Was a Neuroscientist, certain artists are heralded as being the precursors to scientists. They could feel in their art - whatever form that may be: novels, poetry, food, music, painting - what scientists are struggling to understand: how the brain works and how do we feel. In a sense Lehrer is breaking down the art to recreate the science. This approach is quite alluring. Artists’ secrets revealed! Granted, that is not the premise or promise of the book. The book is really about art and science and how enmeshed they are. Yet, it feels written as though he is revealing secrets and that, to me, lacks authenticity. I lost interest in his interpretations of the artists’ work and his thin transitions between the art and science.
Unfortunately, there were no moments where I thought “Oh, so that’s what happens!” Simplicity, not brevity, are the keys to pop-science. Or, possibly, I just didn’t find neuroscience to be that interesting. The chapters on Auguste Escoffier and Gertrude Stein were the most intriguing because these were the most accessible and practical - why food is delicious and the structure of language. I eat food and use language everyday, well, not like Escoffier or Stein, but I have a particular interest in food and language (sometimes even together).
Lehrer’s book disappoints because he is writing a pop-science book without the practicality of popular science. Neuroscience is interesting, or at least could be. Both art and neuroscience are things most people don’t understand. If you put them together they could equal a beautiful book. However, there was little practicality and a lot of Lehrer.
On an somewhat unrelated note: While the subject has been written about many times, I also was intrigued to read how the William and Henry James weaved themselves into so many aspects of art and science. They are like the Benjamin Franklins* of the 19th century.
aside Living in Philadelphia comes with accepting Ben Franklin as a national hero (besides the Phillies, of course!). If you’re using it; BF invented it! We, Philadelphians, are not short on exaggerated pride.
