A review by dorhastings
Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks
4.0
i'm far enough into this book to start writing a review of it, I think. I was introduced to the work and research of Oliver Sacks in my abnormal psychology and neuropsychology/neuroscience classes in college. We read The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat and it's one of the books from college that I've kept. I distinctly remember selecting this book at the used bookstore and always wanted to get back to reading the works of Oliver Sacks.
I think the description on the cover of the book is almost completely accurate for what you can expect. As usual, I didn't read the description on the cover of the book until I was a few chapters in. I was a little thrown off by all of the elaboration on chemistry and physics, but quite frankly it's enough for a layperson to understand, and the more you get into the book, the more it makes sense. This is still a very autobiographical work: we are working our way through Oliver's life and experiences. That he identified so heavily with scientists that they seemed to feel like family, even alongside his very active and accomplished family. It later makes sense when you understand two major things: 1.) his family heavily influenced his love of science and discovery (which in good ways is absolutely endearing and delightful, except when dissecting human beings (thanks to his mother) freaked him out); and 2.) WWII, and more specifically being one of the many young children sent away from home by train because of the bombings, and his terrible time at Braefield. I've heard of women and children being sent away, but this is a central issue that Sacks return to frequently throughout the book.
My understanding of these important issues helped me to better appreciate the book as a whole. And this book also made me appreciate the work of so many chemists, physicists, and doctors. Scientists occasionally get a bad rap: there is the stereotype that they are not warm or humanistic. But Sacks discusses them as humans who were curious and wanted to educate humanity.
Overall, I'd recommend this book. It's not quite what I expected, which is good, and sometimes the chemistry and such bored me and went over my head. But it was well worth reading.
I think the description on the cover of the book is almost completely accurate for what you can expect. As usual, I didn't read the description on the cover of the book until I was a few chapters in. I was a little thrown off by all of the elaboration on chemistry and physics, but quite frankly it's enough for a layperson to understand, and the more you get into the book, the more it makes sense. This is still a very autobiographical work: we are working our way through Oliver's life and experiences. That he identified so heavily with scientists that they seemed to feel like family, even alongside his very active and accomplished family. It later makes sense when you understand two major things: 1.) his family heavily influenced his love of science and discovery (which in good ways is absolutely endearing and delightful, except when dissecting human beings (thanks to his mother) freaked him out); and 2.) WWII, and more specifically being one of the many young children sent away from home by train because of the bombings, and his terrible time at Braefield. I've heard of women and children being sent away, but this is a central issue that Sacks return to frequently throughout the book.
My understanding of these important issues helped me to better appreciate the book as a whole. And this book also made me appreciate the work of so many chemists, physicists, and doctors. Scientists occasionally get a bad rap: there is the stereotype that they are not warm or humanistic. But Sacks discusses them as humans who were curious and wanted to educate humanity.
Overall, I'd recommend this book. It's not quite what I expected, which is good, and sometimes the chemistry and such bored me and went over my head. But it was well worth reading.