Structure

The Tell-Tale Brain is a work of narrative non-fiction separated into nine chapters, all of which begin and end with an anecdotal case story about a patient or group of patients that Ramachadran worked with. Ramachandran uses the first story to present the questions or topics that will be the focus of the chapter. In the center of each chapter, Ramachandran presents the scientific evidence he uses to answer each question and back up his assertions about the questions he asks. The story at the end of each chapter demonstrates the conclusions to which Ramachandran has come and provide a final example.

Ramachandran starts off with a preface, in which he introduces himself and his work, and waxes lyrical about why he thinks that it is important. In the Introduction, Ramachandran gives a very factual run through of the structure of the human brain, its connection to...