3 Problem-Solving Reads For The Scientific Sleuth

As a boy in a tiny village in Mexico, I loved climbing up to the roof of my family's small home so I could study the stars and dream of becoming an astronaut. Then I discovered Kaliman, a comic-book hero who could unravel any mystery with his powers of telepathy, philosophy and scientific ability. He was fond of saying, "He who masters the mind, masters everything."

With that as my mantra, I immersed myself in a new type of literature — true stories by and about scientific pioneers, master detectives of the mind. I was so inspired by their stories that these books actually played an important role in my decision to join them. They convinced me that I really could go from being a migrant farm worker to a Harvard-educated neuroscientist — and beyond.

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