Note to readers: While PDFs are convenient, remember that authors and publishers rely on sales to fund future editions. Check your university library or affordable rental options first.
As someone who has slogged through the "bible" of cognitive neuroscience, here is an honest review of Dale Purves’ seminal text, what it does well, where it stumbles, and how to actually read it. First published in 2008 (with the 2nd edition being the most widely circulated), Principles of Cognitive Neuroscience sits in a sweet spot between pure neurobiology and abstract psychology.
If you have ever Googled "principles of cognitive neuroscience purves pdf," you are likely in one of two camps: a sleep-deprived university student trying to save $150, or a self-learner trying to break into one of the most complex fields of science.