Two hardcover reference books, two very different eras, and one decision to make. On one side is the TIME Your Brain: A User's Guide, a magazine-style hardcover from TIME editors listed at $6.98. On the other is the Giant Handbook of Computer Projects by The Editors of 73 Magazine, a 1979 hardcover listed at $25.00. Both come from editorial teams, but they point in opposite directions: one explains how the human brain works; the other collects hands-on computer projects from the dawn of the home-computing hobby. The real question isn't whether these are good books - it's which one earns a place on your reference shelf.
Quick verdict
If you want a readable brain-science overview at the lower listed price, the TIME Your Brain guide is the clear pick. If you want a time-capsule computing handbook from 1979, the Giant Handbook of Computer Projects is the more distinctive find. Choose by purpose: modern science reading versus vintage computing history.
Comparison at a glance
| Product | Listed price | Price bar | Best for | Key details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TIME Your Brain: A User's Guide | USD 6.98 | Brain-science readers | Hardcover; Good condition; ISBN 9781603200943; by Jeffrey Kluger and TIME Magazine Editors | |
| Giant Handbook of Computer Projects | USD 25.00 | Vintage computing enthusiasts | Hardcover; 1979; ISBN 9780830697243; Acceptable condition with coffee spot on bottom and marking to page 24 |
Where each product wins
TIME Your Brain: A User's Guide wins for readers who want a modern brain-science topic in a hardcover that reads like an approachable guide. It's the choice when the subject matters more than the era.
Giant Handbook of Computer Projects wins for readers who want computing history with a 1979 publication year. It's the choice when the era matters more than the subject.
Product notes
TIME Your Brain: A User's Guide
This hardcover, ISBN 9781603200943, lists Jeffrey Kluger and the TIME Magazine Editors as authors. Its listed condition is Good, which makes it the stronger-condition option in this comparison. The subject - your brain, framed as a user's guide - suits readers who like accessible science writing in short sessions. Because it's a guide rather than a project manual, you won't find circuit diagrams or step-by-step builds; that's the limit if you came expecting hands-on projects. For a general reader, it's an approachable hardcover with a solid listed condition.
Giant Handbook of Computer Projects
This 1979 hardcover carries ISBN 9780830697243 and comes from the editors of 73 Magazine. The listing notes Acceptable condition, a coffee spot on the bottom, and a mark running to page 24, with no writing or highlighting. What you're paying for is era: a project handbook from 1979 captures the early home-computing moment in a way a modern book can't. The trade-off is the documented wear - Acceptable is a step below the TIME guide's Good condition. If you collect computing literature or want a period-correct reference, this one delivers historical texture, as long as you accept the condition.
Final choice by use case
Pick the TIME Your Brain: A User's Guide if you want a modern science read in a hardcover guide. Pick the Giant Handbook of Computer Projects if you want a 1979 computing reference with project plans. Both books can earn a place on a reference shelf; the best fit depends on whether you're buying for the subject or for the era.
