Imagination is about far more than whether people think of themselves as creative or not. We use our imagination all the time in planning, anticipating, daydreaming, reminiscing and being able to enjoy other people's stories. In fact, we don't live in the here and now as much as we might think. Imagination isn't the exception to our daily lives; it's our default setting.

From hallucinations to sleepwalking, from REM sleep to delusions, neurologist Adam Zeman brilliantly guides us through the latest scientific discoveries in the world of the imagination. Imagine looking at a cube and your eye will trace the contours of the cube as if you were actually seeing it. Imagine inhaling and the airflow through your nose will increase. In grief, you might imagine that you saw your loved one again – and be consoled by the experience. And yet some people have no visual imagination at all – they would even be unable to picture their family if asked to – but still lead fulfilling, even highly creative, lives.

From how infants perceive the world to how we can anticipate the thoughts of other people, from the benefits of play to mental disorders, The Shape of Things Unseen dazzles and delights in its insights into the workings of the human mind.