''Brain'' is a best-selling

medical Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

thriller written by Robin Cook, published by Putnam in 1981. It describes how a future generation of

computer A computer is a machine that can be Computer programming, programmed to automatically Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (''computation''). Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic set ...

s will work hard-wired to human brains. Cook based the main character, radiology resident Katherine Collins, on his wife Barbara Mougin, an actress-model.

Plot

The story starts with a girl Katherine Collins going to a private clinic for a pap smear, but these people anesthetize her and steal her brain for a secret military project. She is placed in a vat of liquid and her brain is connected to a computer. The same thing happens to other patients too. The protagonist Dr. Martin Philips, a

doctor Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded b ...

neuroradiology Neuroradiology is a subspecialty of radiology focusing on the diagnosis and characterization of abnormalities of the central and peripheral nervous system, spine, and head and neck using neuroimaging techniques. Medical issues utilizing neurorad ...

at the NYC medical center is involved in creating a self-diagnostic

x-ray machine An X-ray machine is a device that uses X-rays for a variety of applications including medicine, X-ray fluorescence, electronic assembly inspection, and measurement of material thickness in manufacturing operations. In medical applications, X-ra ...

, along with William Michaels, who is a researcher graduating from

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...

and also head of the department of

artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...

. Dr. Philips's girlfriend and colleague Dr. Denise Sanger (28 years old) is also involved in the same hospital. Philips and Sanger both find a secret conspiracy in the hospital to steal patients' brains without their consent. They uncover details and find that though they'd suspected Mannerheim, the

prima donna In opera or ''commedia dell'arte'', a prima donna (; Italian for 'first lady'; : ''prime donne'') is the leading female singer in the company, the person to whom the ''prime'' roles would be given. ''Prime donne'' often had grand off-stage pe ...

neurosurgeon, the real villain is the soft-spoken AI researcher Michaels and his military backers. Dr. Philips blows the whistle and seeks

political asylum The right of asylum, sometimes called right of political asylum (''asylum'' ), is a juridical concept, under which people persecuted by their own rulers might be protected by another sovereignty, sovereign authority, such as a second country or ...

in Sweden.

Reception

A review in ''

Library Journal ''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...

'' said that following the discovery of a missing brain, "The subsequent search, chase, and revelation provide undeniably irresistible and exciting reading."

References

1980 American novels Novels by Robin Cook American thriller novels Fiction about medicine and health {{1980s-thriller-novel-stub