Folio Archives 468: The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver W. Sacks 2011
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1wcarter
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver W. Sacks 2011
This is a fascinating collection of 24 clinical case reports by renown New York neurologist Oliver Sacks (1933-2015). First published in 1985 when neurology treatments were not as refined as they are now, Sacks describes in simple language some of the more extraordinary patients has treated from savants who can do almost impossible mathematical equations in their head to those who have memorised every day of their life and entire encyclopaedias, to the famous man who kept mistaking things for what they were including thinking that his wife’s head was his hat.
You do not need any medical knowledge to follow these interesting and in many cases quite amazing stories, many of which have a postscript to describe what happened to the patient in later years.
The book is divided into sections that roughly correspond to the different forms of neurological problems encountered. There are some line drawings done by patients integrated into the text.
There is a preface by the author and ten full-page colour illustrations by Martin O’Neill, who had quite a challenge trying to illustrate brain abnormalities, therefore the pictures are rather enigmatic. The xv+221 page book is bound in multi-coloured image printed off-white cloth. The endpapers are light blue and the dark grey/blue slipcase measure 24.7x16.8cm. There is an extensive bibliography at the back of the book.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
This is a fascinating collection of 24 clinical case reports by renown New York neurologist Oliver Sacks (1933-2015). First published in 1985 when neurology treatments were not as refined as they are now, Sacks describes in simple language some of the more extraordinary patients has treated from savants who can do almost impossible mathematical equations in their head to those who have memorised every day of their life and entire encyclopaedias, to the famous man who kept mistaking things for what they were including thinking that his wife’s head was his hat.
You do not need any medical knowledge to follow these interesting and in many cases quite amazing stories, many of which have a postscript to describe what happened to the patient in later years.
The book is divided into sections that roughly correspond to the different forms of neurological problems encountered. There are some line drawings done by patients integrated into the text.
There is a preface by the author and ten full-page colour illustrations by Martin O’Neill, who had quite a challenge trying to illustrate brain abnormalities, therefore the pictures are rather enigmatic. The xv+221 page book is bound in multi-coloured image printed off-white cloth. The endpapers are light blue and the dark grey/blue slipcase measure 24.7x16.8cm. There is an extensive bibliography at the back of the book.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2RavenSeeker
>1 wcarter: I've seen this book in the bookshops from time to time but have always been repulsed by the title. Having read this review I very much like the writing style and the illustrations and have ordered a copy. Your inspiration has just cost me £30 ! Many thanks - a great review as always
