Frances Jensen's The Teenage Brain

Words: 620
Pages: 3

The Teenage Brain, by Frances Jensen, provided scientific explanations for the everyday wonderings about adolescents. Its insight gave off a knowledgeable tone, while still managing to let the common person understand what was being taught. All of the cases of real-life people and experiments helped me remember the facts stored in the book, while keeping everything interesting. While a few of the more technical paragraphs were occasionally confusing, there was always a conclusion to sum each chapter up. Jensen, a neurologist and mother, certainly had first-hand experience in what she wrote about.
The author developed a neutral, unbiased point of view concerning all of the addressed issues, and maintained a constant theme throughout the book. I found that her research was very relatable and relevant for today's society. Since she raised two boys as they were undergoing adolescence, it was easier to believe her various findings as well. Jensen's interpretation of the teenage brain helped me to understand my mind better. Even though I have lots of learning potential, I'm still not likely to make rational decisions most of the time. However, this does not give me a right to act out, for as the book
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The ones revolving around drug abuse are what I remember the most about, though I'm unsure as to why that is. They've undoubtedly made me cautious about the crowds I am a part of, and the environment I'm in. For instance, the story of Irma Perez reminded me about the dangers of one bad choice; she died after consuming Ecstasy and marijuana at the prompting of her friends. The legitimacy of it all was very stunning, and initially made me wonder about the logic of that particular group. I learned much from this and several others, and I hope to avoid the troubles that vexed such a large number of young