This book is exceptionally well written--clear, concise, and even entertaining. The illustrations are superb.
-- Anne C. Bekoff, University of Colorado at Boulder

[Neurons and Networks] covers the classic material of neurobiology. It has evolved from years of lectures given to undergraduates at Harvard University by the renowned retinal physiologist John Dowling...Overall, this is a sober and scholarly volume that strikes me, with its terse, no-frills style and reliance on the history of ideas, as very Harvard. Although intended as an introduction to basic neurobiology, it is a satisfying book at several levels.
-- Michael R. Hanley Nature

[Neurons and Networks] provides an up-to-date introduction to the whole field of neuroscience...It falls into two parts, each consisting of nine chapters: neurons (cellular neuroscience) and networks (integrative neuroscience). Dowling uses the foundations in the cell biology, biophysics and biochemistry of neurons laid in the first part to develop an account of the system properties of networks such as memory, visual processing and motor control.
-- C. U. M. Smith Times Higher Education Supplement

John Dowling's Neurons and Networks: An Introduction to Neuroscience is a rarity among modern American textbooks. It is written in simple, direct language, it is of modest length, and it is unambiguously focused on explaining a limited set of complex matters clearly rather than providing a comprehensive overview of the entire field. How well does the selective approach work? I recently used the book in a one-quarter course taken primarily by senior students, most of whom had had no exposure to neuroscience beyond the introductory biology series. I found it very satisfying to work with a book written at a relatively elementary level and to bring in more sophistication as needed...instead of having a comprehensive textbook of which only carefully selected portions could be covered. The feedback was better than on any other text I have tried over the years. Most students really appreciated having a book written for beginners rather than for emerging professionals...There were many favorable comments and no widespread complaints about Dowling's book. In my experience this is a distinctly rare event...clearly a book for students.
-- John Palka Cell

What a wonderful text this is! It is very clearly written and provides a much needed introductory text for neuroscience courses. The diagrams are clear and the organization almost perfect. I particularly like the progression from description to quantitative information.
-- Russell D. Fernald, Stanford University

Neurons and Networks has made an enormous contribution to my undergraduate course, 'Brain: Perception and Behavior.' It is the perfect text for the course, which is taken by humanities students as well as a wide range of science and math students. All of them find the book extremely interesting. The writing is clear and concise and written at a level our sophomores can grasp.
-- Hugh R. Wilson, Visual Sciences Center, University of Chicago

As a teaching text this volume is unusual, in that it provides a very personal account--in this case of the lecture course for biology students at Harvard given by Professor John Dowling. At the outset, Dowling suggests that it has been his intention to introduce his subject as early as possible in the educational careers of his students, thereby necessitating a simple text. The text has been clearly divided into two distinct parts--basic cellular neuroscience and integrative neuroscience. Given his eminent background in retinal neurobiology, it is not surprising that the author has chosen to utilise the retina in particular, and visual neuroscience in general, as the major topics of the text. The style of the text, written in such a personal way (first person throughout) is easily readable—probably one of the most important factors in encouraging undergraduate students to learn!
-- K. L. Grieve Trends in Neuroscience

This book is highly appropriate for undergraduate courses in neuroscience. I like its breadth of coverage, the care taken to present difficult topics in a clear and simplified fashion, the richness of the illustrations, and the familiar tone of the writing style, which reminds us that the author is another human being.
-- Robert Josephson, Department of Psychobiology, University of California, Irvine