Maria Konnikova
About Maria Konnikova
Speech topics
How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes
No fictional character is more renowned for his powers of thought and observation than Sherlock Holmes. But is his extraordinary intellect merely a gift of fiction, or can we learn to cultivate these abilities ourselves, to improve our lives at work and at home? We can, says psychologist and journalist Maria Konnikova, and in this talk, she shows us how. Beginning with the “brain attic”—Holmes’s metaphor for how we store information and organize knowledge—Konnikova unpacks the mental strategies that lead to clearer thinking and deeper insights. Drawing on neuroscience and psychology, she explores Holmes’s unique methods of ever-present mindfulness, astute observation, and logical deduction. In doing so, she teaches how anyone, with some self-awareness and a little practice, can employ these same methods to sharpen their perceptions, solve difficult problems, and enhance our creative powers.
Speaking videos
Media coverage
Writer Maria Konnikova played poker for book research. Then she ...
Pay attention and listen closely is a key message in the writing of Maria Konnikova, a journalist and author whose two best-selling books illuminate lessons ...
Reporter puts poker book on hold to double down on hot streak
She's all in! New Yorker journalist Maria Konnikova picked up the game of poker a year ago while researching a book — but she hit such a hot winning streak...
Books by Maria Konnikova
“Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes” (2020)
No fictional character is more renowned for his powers of thought and observation than Sherlock Holmes. But is his extraordinary intellect merely a gift of fiction, or can we learn to cultivate these abilities ourselves, to improve our lives at work and at home? We can, says psychologist and journalist Maria Konnikova, and in Mastermind she shows us how. Beginning with the “brain attic”—Holmes’s metaphor for how we store information and organize knowledge—Konnikova unpacks the mental strategies that lead to clearer thinking and deeper insights. Drawing on twenty-first-century neuroscience and psychology, Mastermind explores Holmes’s unique methods of ever-present mindfulness, astute observation, and logical deduction. In doing so, it shows how each of us, with some self-awareness and a little practice, can employ these same methods to sharpen our perceptions, solve difficult problems, and enhance our creative powers. For Holmes aficionados and casual readers alike, Konnikova reveals how the world’s most keen-eyed detective can serve as an unparalleled guide to upgrading the mind.
“The Confidence Game: Why We Fall For It . . . Every Time” (2017)
A Compelling Investigation Into The Minds, Motives, And Methods Of Con Artistsand The People Who Fall For Their Cons Over And Over Again.
At a glanceMaria Konnikova
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