Books of 2010: 8. A Thousand Days of Wonder, by Charles Fernyhough

I read this book in less than a day because it was so compelling. Fernyhough, a developmental psychologist, chronicles the first three years of his daughter's life, touching on all aspects of her development but mostly focused on her mind. He intersperses episodes of her life with psychological theories as to why she might be acting the way she is and what, exactly, she is experiencing. The major question of the book is, "What is it like to be an infant or a toddler?" Fernyhough is an apt observer, an engaging writer, and an experienced researcher, all of which combine to make one of the most enjoyable books I've read in a while.

We may never truly know what goes on behind the eyes of a baby, but Fernyhough gives it his best shot, combining the methods of a scientist with the love of a father. Whether describing the chaotic bundle of sensations of a newborn infant or the cunning first lie of a three-year-old, his descriptions draw the reader in, making this one of the few non-fiction page-turners I've ever read.