This is not a perfect book as I'm sure others who recommended it would agree. But it has so very much to offer. How many other books focused on brain function provide a glimpse into the lives of people with such an extraordinary variety of brain malfunction and the consequences thereof?
We have Dr. P, who is living with visual agnosia due to a tumor growing in his right occipital lobe. So though he can describe a glove as having five outpouchings and a rose as having red convoluted shapes with a 6" linear attachment, he cannot name either. Then there is Mrs. S. who experiences spatial neglect due to a stroke that damaged her right primary occipital lobe. Therefore, she totally ignores everything to her left, including the food on the left side of her plate (nurses are not giving her enough food!) as well as only putting make up on the right side of her face. And then there's Jimmy with anterograde amnesia who greets Sacks in exactly the same way every time the doctor enters his room as well as becoming quite agitated when he sees his own reflection in a mirror. How could he be that old man! Is someone playing a joke! There are folks with primary aphasia who, though no longer able to understand words, start laughing when viewing Ronald Reagan giving a speech as it appears that they perceive a disconnect between his intonation and his gestures and find this to be quite amusing. The phantom limb cases are also quite interesting as is the example of the method discovered to enable a man with advanced Parkinson's to correct his posture. Not only do these cases bring to life for my students the reality of brain localization--they also portray a scientist who has genuine compassion and authentic involvement with his patients. Sacks does not describe or view his subjects as 'objects of interest' but as fellow humans with challenging circumstances. This was his first major book so he can be faulted for lacking the proper objective perspective in his case studies. But this book offers much and the to those interested in brain function and dysfunction as well as the strange, fascinating and often inexplicable workings of the human brain. I have attached a review for those who are interested. http://pendidikansains.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/critical-analysis-of-%E2%80%9Cthe-man-who-mistook-his-wife-for-a-hat%E2%80%9D-byoliver-sacks/ Joan [email protected] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=23704 or send a blank email to leave-23704-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
