Henry Marsh, a top brain surgeon, tells us that “I often cut into the brain and it’s something I hate doing”. For Marsh, it can be terrifying but it’s also addictive. This is Marsh’s surgical autobiography and what he captures superbly is the obsessive nature of his job. It’s hugely stressful. There is no room for even tiny mistakes. Sometimes it can be like bomb disposal. It was hard on Marsh’s wife, too: “My obsession with neurosurgery and the long working hours and the self-importance it produced would lead to the end of our marriage.” In a way, this is a book about a man having an affair. With cutting into brains. Which he hates.