By the man who wrote Awakenings and who Bill Murray's character in The Royal Tannenbaums was based on
Incredibly interesting view of some of the most unusual neurological disorders
Sacks takes a very humanistic and holistic view of what too often become abstract data points
He carefully studies how these diseases affect his patients physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually and tries to use humane judgment on how best to help them lead happy, productive lives even if it doesn't mean &... (show more)

By the man who wrote Awakenings and who Bill Murray's character in The Royal Tannenbaums was based on
Incredibly interesting view of some of the most unusual neurological disorders
Sacks takes a very humanistic and holistic view of what too often become abstract data points
He carefully studies how these diseases affect his patients physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually and tries to use humane judgment on how best to help them lead happy, productive lives even if it doesn't mean "curing" them.
One of my favorite moments occurs where he's trying to help a man with no short-term memory (Like the movie Memento)and he's miserable because he lives in a world where no experience connects with any other. Sacks is ruminating on the philosophical implications and he asks one of the nuns who works at the hospital if she thinks he has a soul. She shows him the patient taking Communion and he realizes that he doesn't lose his memory when he's focused on a familiar, rhythmic task. From there he's able to suggest better activities for him that keep his attention and that he doesn't forget and give him a better quality of life.
Absolutely fascinating reading (show less)