There are some books which are so powerful that they can impact your world view forever. This book is one among those. This is a truly classic read for number of reasons. But before getting into that, let us know who is Oliver Sacks and what this book is about?
Oliver Sacks is one of the most renowned Psycho-neurologist world have had. He spent 6 decades of his life studying various psycho-neurological disorder and authored numerous books on the subject. His approach has reignited the tradition of case-history which was earlier pioneered by Freud, Charcot and others but later receded to background due to excessive focus on empiricism. He started the tradition of narrative reconstruction and street neurology in studying psycho-neurological disorders. His approach is marked advancement over soulless neurology or bodiless psychology. It compels us to look within ourselves and our surrounding with new vision and empathy.
This book is recounting of large number of solved or unsolved cases which Sacks came across in his career. He divided the book in 4 segments namely Losses, excesses, transports and world of simple. Each part compiles a set of cases related to the broad category. He starts with case of Dr. P who mistook his wife for a hat. This was case of visual agnosia where person lost his sense of vision or representation but simultaneously developed a taste for music. He criticizes neurology for ignoring the concept of "judgement" in the pursuit of categorization in cases similar to Dr. P's.
Author has used his artistic vocabulary to elucidate various human expressions, emotions of patients and their relatives and capturing humor in complex cases. His writing also showed the importance of empathy and sensitivity which a doctor must exercise in his tone while interacting with his patients. The cases are strange and bewildering. For example, In the Lost Mariner case, he elaborates on the case of a mariner who lost any memory of events after second world war (1945) in his life. The case of disembodied human being, lazy left leg or number wizard twins Jhon and Michael force us to think about power of mind and perception.
The book also describes innovative approaches used by him to solve confusing cases. For example, case of Medaline J. where he asked the nurse to let the patient starve for food by placing it just outside her reach. This enabled nerve movement in the patient. Similarly, He used mirrors to solve problem of phantom limbs. The book drops innumerable references of Luria, Hughling Jackson, Sherrington and other great neurologist of their time. It provides post-script to various cases describing what future development happened in each case and linked his cases with some other cases.
Each case is so unique and explained in such an engrossing manner that it is difficult to leave the book unfinished. The variety of cases ignite the sense of realization that "there is nothing called pathological state of mind". Each way of life is valid and normal in its own way. If people behave in angry manner then they may have their share of fair reasons like biochemical excesses or deficit for this. if some one likes shopping then it may be driven by neurons in the brains. You never know whether it is a voluntary or involuntary behavior. There is nothing called right or wrong way of life. There are just different ways of life.
The cases described in section of "world of simple" shows there is special talent hidden within each of us. If we are able to connect with soul of other person then we can sense it. For example, Oliver Sacks noticed how twin brothers supposed classified as severely retarded by category of science, played the game of "next prime number" stretching up to 20-digits scale. Mind you, the computers of their age could calculate prime numbers up to 10-digit only. The case of Martin A. who suffered from fatal meningitis but possessed amazing memory and taste for opera music. He earned the fame as "walking encyclopedia". Such stories of idiot savant tells us that chance is a bigger factor in driving our life than our own karma.
The discovery of talent take unconditional love, empathy, non-judgmental behavior and understanding from significant others and society. Reading this book can help us in understanding that abnormality could be a special sort of gift. We should focus on gift instead of stigmatizing abnormality.
The cases under Transporter section highlights the limited understanding of human life by science. For instance the case of Bhagwanandi S. "Passage to India", where despite a malignant cancer, she kept smiling and remained calm. She even told doctors that she is travelling to other world which most of the staff members seemed to believe. Many of the cases remain unsolved till date.
The case studies reignited the tradition of narrative medicinal studies. The case of wiccy ticcy ray or cupid disease of Natasha highlights the amazing mystery of brain connections. It is so strange that on one hand we have reached Mars and aiming for Jupitor and beyond but on other hand we have not been able to understand the human brain completely. This book is a must-read for some one in the field of cognitive neurosciences or psycho-neurology or neurological research. Others may find it little difficult to absorb due to use of some scientific jargon. It would be a very interesting read for some one who wish to discover or understand power of mind.
Most important of all the book would help in widening your horizon and make you more humane towards so-called abnormality of life. My only wish remains is if book could have dwelled little more on idiot savants.
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