The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (Picador)

"I read this book a few years ago. I'm reviewing it now because I really feel it deserves another 5-star review. I read it just before starting a degree in Psychology and it really fuelled my hunger to learn more about the subject. It's well written, in short chapters each outlining a case history and then, in layman's terms, explaining the underlying neuropsychology. If you've never studied the brain before this will be a very addictive starting point. The remainder of my studies in Psychology were interspersed with my reading, in spare time, Sacks' other books. Thoroughly recommended as possibly one of the most fascinating books I've ever read."
~ Written on 2010-07-25

"A sensational collection of wonderfully bizarre true stories that grips the reader from start to finish. I want more chapters Dr sacks! A highly reccommended read!"
~ Written on 2010-06-06

"This is an excellent collection of wonderful and amazing stories. I totally enjoyed it.... some neurological knowledge might help understand better the underlying causes of the described afflictions. If you only want to read it as a novel without going too deep... enjoy!"
~ Written on 2010-05-21

"One of Oliver Sacks most famous books, "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" is a fascinating look at some of the rarer neurological problems that happen with the brain and the unusual symptoms that can be experienced as a result.

The accessibility of this book is, however, limited by the language that is used. As you might expect there are many neurological and psychological terms and jargon used and a dictionary to hand would be advised; but it is more the quite old fashioned writing style of Sacks. It does make some of the book quite laborious to read. Readers may also be surprised by the now unacceptable ways of referring to people as idiots, morons and simpletons but this book was published in 1985 and things have certainly changed over the last 25 years.

Although the writing style is often a barrier to enjoying this book, there is so much to gain from reading about the amazing stories of the patients it is worth persevering. The penultimate chapter will stick with me. It is the story of twins whose loved to share prime numbers but would do so to the exclusion of everyone and everything around them. Their withdrawal from the world was 'cured' by separating them so they could gain independence but at the cost of them losing their love of sharing the numbers with each other. Thought provoking."
~ Written on 2010-03-20

"It is guaranteed that the reader will be utterly blown away with this extraordinary collection of medical insights into the symptoms that can occur when there are brain malfunctions with their consequenct bizarre changes in mental perceptions.This essentially is a collection of case histories that are quite out of the scope of the average persons understanding. Oliver Sacks' accessible style of writing gives us glimpses into the 'unreal' lives of patients who have to negotiate their everyday lives lacking some essential and basic abilities to relate to the world in a 'normal' way either in the business of memory, sensory perception or mobility.Each case reads like a whacky novel and leaves the reader with a feeling of walking on thin ice because the very foundations upon which we as 'normal'human beings base our lives come into question too.Not to be missed!"
~ Written on 2009-12-02