In this riveting narrative, acclaimed science journalist, Erik Vance, explores the surprising power of suggestibility and how our expectations and beliefs can shape our bodily responses to pain, disease and everyday events. Drawing on centuries of research, interviews with leading experts and international journeys to the field, this book is a fascinating adventure through the world of placebos, false memories and hypnosis, revealing the ground-breaking science of our highly suggestible minds. From NIH's research labs to a witch doctor's office in Mexico to a traditional Chinese medicine school near Beijing, Vance embarks on a scientific, cultural and personal journey to show how our brains can influence our well-being in ways we never imagined.