Oliver Sacks 1933-2015

Soldim · 08-30-2015, 07:29 AM

One of my favorite writers past away today.

NY Times.

cromag · 08-30-2015, 08:26 AM

I just read that. His was a brilliant mind.

Barty · 08-30-2015, 03:46 PM

Here's a collection of recent articles by and interviews with Sacks.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/ar...g-list/401993/

Andanzas · 08-31-2015, 05:13 AM

Besides being an excellent writer, he seemed to be a lovable guy. Rest in peace.

HarryT · 08-31-2015, 08:17 AM

Not an author I'm familiar with. What did he write? Can anyone recommend any of his books?

underscore · 08-31-2015, 08:31 AM

He wrote awakenings.
Maybe you saw the movie.

HarryT · 08-31-2015, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by underscore

He wrote awakenings.
Maybe you saw the movie.

No, I don't believe so. It doesn't ring a bell, at least. I'll take a look at his bibliography and see if there's anything I recognise.

Andanzas · 08-31-2015, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Not an author I'm familiar with. What did he write? Can anyone recommend any of his books?

I think The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat is an excellent starting point. I've been told that An Anthropologist on Mars is even better, but I haven't read it yet.

tomsem · 08-31-2015, 09:36 PM

His autobiography (On The Move) is very good, obviously his most personal, and sets the context for most of his books, and much more. I have read 2-3 of his other books and hope to read the rest of them one day.

He was a several-time guest on science podcast 'radiolab':
http://www.radiolab.org/people/dr-oliver-sacks/

cromag · 08-31-2015, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andanzas

I think The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat is an excellent starting point. I've been told that An Anthropologist on Mars is even better, but I haven't read it yet.

Both excellent! Also Musicophilia, The Mind's Eye ... just about anything he wrote is worth reading.

Oliver Sacks had a way of showing the humanity in people that others might have treated as case studies.

The movie Awakenings, starring Robin Williams, was adapted only loosely from the book, IMHO, but it's still a very good movie. Just don't expect it to substitute for the book.

doubleshuffle · 09-01-2015, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andanzas

I think The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat is an excellent starting point. I've been told that An Anthropologist on Mars is even better, but I haven't read it yet.

An Anthropologist on Mars is the only one I've read; I agree that it's brilliant. Always wanted to read more after that but somehow have never got round to it...

cromag · 09-04-2015, 08:52 PM

The first hour of today's Science Friday included a tribute to Oliver Sacks. It was very well done, and adds some insights to the man and researcher. If you didn't catch it, it's available as a podcast from Itunes, or at the Science Friday website.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/audio/scifriaudio.xml

I haven't listened to the second hour yet (my local station only carries the first hour of Science Friday) but it seems to include a segment on NeuroTribes, a new book on the history of autism. Dr. Sacks wrote the foreword. I have heard an extended interview with the author, Steve Silberman, and I was very impressed, so I'm looking forward to listening this weekend.

dwig · 09-05-2015, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cromag

Both excellent! Also Musicophilia, The Mind's Eye ... just about anything he wrote is worth reading.

Oliver Sacks had a way of showing the humanity in people that others might have treated as case studies.

The movie Awakenings, starring Robin Williams, was adapted only loosely from the book, IMHO, but it's still a very good movie. Just don't expect it to substitute for the book.

Also, if you pickup a copy of Awakenings to read be sure to get the second edition. It expands several of the "stories" with additional information about what has happened to the individuals since the publication of the first edition.

Sacks was also a major consultant for the movie Rainman and shaped many of the details. The spilled matches scene is lifted from a true incident he experienced with one of his patients.

08-30-2015, 07:29 AM	#1
Soldim Not so important Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10181343 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Zurich Device: Sony PRS-505, Kindle 4, iPad, Kobo Glo 4	Oliver Sacks 1933-2015 One of my favorite writers past away today. NY Times.

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08-30-2015, 08:26 AM	#2
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,274 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	I just read that. His was a brilliant mind.

08-30-2015, 03:46 PM	#3
Barty doofus Posts: 2,517 Karma: 13036221 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	Here's a collection of recent articles by and interviews with Sacks. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/ar...g-list/401993/

08-31-2015, 05:13 AM	#4
Andanzas Out of print Posts: 484 Karma: 1549538 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Sony PRS-500 (recycled), Pocketbook Inkpad X Pro	Besides being an excellent writer, he seemed to be a lovable guy. Rest in peace.

08-31-2015, 08:17 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Not an author I'm familiar with. What did he write? Can anyone recommend any of his books?

08-31-2015, 08:31 AM	#6
underscore Addict Posts: 314 Karma: 1093858 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Romania (but i'm italian) Device: Onyx Boox Nova 2, Kingrow K1 (former N96 ML/i86ML Plus/M92)	He wrote awakenings. Maybe you saw the movie.

08-31-2015, 09:36 PM	#9
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,464 Karma: 25996225 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	His autobiography (On The Move) is very good, obviously his most personal, and sets the context for most of his books, and much more. I have read 2-3 of his other books and hope to read the rest of them one day. He was a several-time guest on science podcast 'radiolab': http://www.radiolab.org/people/dr-oliver-sacks/

09-04-2015, 08:52 PM	#12
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,274 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	The first hour of today's Science Friday included a tribute to Oliver Sacks. It was very well done, and adds some insights to the man and researcher. If you didn't catch it, it's available as a podcast from Itunes, or at the Science Friday website. http://www.sciencefriday.com/audio/scifriaudio.xml I haven't listened to the second hour yet (my local station only carries the first hour of Science Friday) but it seems to include a segment on NeuroTribes, a new book on the history of autism. Dr. Sacks wrote the foreword. I have heard an extended interview with the author, Steve Silberman, and I was very impressed, so I'm looking forward to listening this weekend.