This is a fascinating study on the history of sleep. I wish there had been more science behind it but the sheer amount of research done for this book is commendable. I confess some parts were more tedious than others to get through. Very interesting and thought provoking take on the subject.

A mix of science, history, and biography, this book chronicles four scientists who pioneered sleep research. Through revolutionary experiments, cutting-edge technology, and tireless commitment, these mavericks revealed the mysteries of sleep and fought for recognition of the effects of sleep disorders on public health. It's a fascinating story told with a human touch.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Books for access to this arc. I went into the book hoping for more science. The science is there but it's (skillfully, I will admit) woven in with far too much history than I was looking to read. Sadly and ironically I realized that the further I read, the sleepier I got. DNF

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Hachette Books for an advance copy of this history on something must humans can agree we don't get enough of, or get a good night of, sleep and the science and pathfinders who have taught us much about something that should be so natural.

Humans can have a lot of differences, but one thing we all have to agree on is that eventually, we all have to sleep sometime. So little for so long was known about sleep that many a social innovator, seeing the rise of industry, cars and planes thought that humans didn't need to sleep anymore, that sleep was something for early man, not a man of the industrial age. I'm sure there are people raising billions right now to hack sleep and disrupt the need for REM. For something so important it is amazing that it took almost to the middle of the last century to understand sleep, a humans need for it, and many of the problems associated with it. Many weird ideas, were just accepted as no one ever really asked why, until finally some people did. And change our lives in many ways. Mapping the Darkness: The Visionary Scientists Who Unlocked the Mysteries of Sleep by Kenneth Miller is a look at those early scientists who in a variety of ways opened our eyes to why humans need to sleep, and even how to sleep better and get more from it.

For most of man's time on Earth, sleep and rest were accepted without really knowing why. Dreams were considered gifts, omens, demons, all sorts of things, something we all did, but why people had no idea. With the advent of the industrial age there were even thoughts of not needing sleep. Sleep was necessary when man lived in fear of his environment. Man now being the master really had no need for it. Plans were drawn for people to sleep 5 minutes less a night, and soon there would be no reason to even put head to pillow. Until in 1938 one of the few sleep researcher's tried something new. Live in a cave for a month, without knowing the day or the night to try and change the body to a 28 hour schedule. To see if the body could adjust, and what would the consequences be. The media made this a story, and soon sleep was on people's minds, allowing for more funding and more interest. Soon the idea of REM sleep became clearer, sleep labs were being created for humans, as they had been for animals earlier. Even better sleep apnea was being diagnosed, to the help of millions of people.

There is a lot in this very complete history of sleep and the studies involved, and the best thing is the writing won't make on tired at all. This is a fascinating book, well-written and well-researched which never lags. Miller is very good about explaining everything well, and making technical terms make sense, and again be interesting. I would have had no idea what certain brain readings meant, but in Miller's hands I found myself going, oh I see I get it. There is lot covered in this book, the history of sleep, university life in the 20's, crazy experiments, such as living in a cave for a month, and more. Plus there are sleep suggestions, and nice explanations for sleep problems, apnea, and others that I finally understood how this could be a problem, and might explain some of my sleep problems.

A book that has something interesting on every page, not just about sleep. One of the more intriguing medical histories I have read in awhile. Recommended for fans of not only medical science, but history in general, a book that could be both informative and helpful to many people.

Mapping the Darkness describes the history of sleep science as told through the lens of six major researchers in the field, and it contains a wealth of information on both the people and the science. The author brought the researchers to life with vivid descriptions and stories. The saga of scientific discovery read like a real-life drama, full of twists and turns, triumphs and disappointments. I learned more than I thought possible about sleep, what we know, and what we are still working to solve. Although some sections heavier on detail may not appeal to all readers, this book is a true tour de force in its category!

So many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this!

I took a chance on this. Many books are sleep are a disappointment for me. I feel like this subject has been "understudied" given how much of our lives is spent sleeping and how the rest of our time is dependent on rest.

This was wonderful. Such a surprise! The writing was very engaging and I am so glad that I was given the chance to read this. Highly recommended for science/health readers. I hope this topic gets more and more coverage. We need to know more about our minds/sleep. Lots of secrets to uncover. This author was new to me. I will read more from this author.

What I originally thought would be a boring slog actually became a really interesting read for me. I went in knowing next to nothing about it and was still easily able to follow everything that was being mentioned. Very Interesting.