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A review by christinafrancisgilbert
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks
3.0
This is a tricky text to review. First published in 1985 its wording and discussion of certain psychological afflictions might sound dated. I read this book straight after finishing 'Bedside Stories' by Michael Foxton and found many of the case studies and sensitive presentation of 'Dr Oliver Sacks's patients [who] are often conspicuous' to have interesting circumstances.
I hadn't really known what I would find in this book though I have had interest in reading it since an ex-colleague used it in her IB teaching years ago.
At its time of publication it was reviewed as an 'instant classic' and thus this helps me conclude there is a lot to be analysed and debated in its content. I believe it has also been recommended for junior doctors' reading (not sure if that's still the case?) for its pyschiatric insights.
Calling the chapters the equivalent of 'Arabian Nights tales as Dr Sacks like[d] to describe them, providing a divertissement, an entertainment ...' seems derogatory and another perhaps politically controversial source said Oliver Sacks ' has a happy knack of turning his casebook into literature - ' The jury is out on that one...
I hadn't really known what I would find in this book though I have had interest in reading it since an ex-colleague used it in her IB teaching years ago.
At its time of publication it was reviewed as an 'instant classic' and thus this helps me conclude there is a lot to be analysed and debated in its content. I believe it has also been recommended for junior doctors' reading (not sure if that's still the case?) for its pyschiatric insights.
Calling the chapters the equivalent of 'Arabian Nights tales as Dr Sacks like[d] to describe them, providing a divertissement, an entertainment ...' seems derogatory and another perhaps politically controversial source said Oliver Sacks ' has a happy knack of turning his casebook into literature - ' The jury is out on that one...