kidsmoke Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Even knowing it was coming hardly blunts the loss today of this brilliant and compassionate soul. For any of you who have never read any of the famed neurologist's writings, I recommend either "The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat" (read it & that title will make sense) or his best known work, "Awakenings". Both books had me so enraptured that I carried them around with me for the time it took me to read them, taking bathroom breaks as needed to escape the kids and read just a bit more of his fascinating writing. Sacks had been diagnosed with a cancer of the eye, which had resulted in his losing that eye. Unfortunately it was learned that the cancer had spread to his liver and was inoperable. He faced his impending death with characteristic straightforwardness and insight, as well as deep gratitude for his life. He died today at 82.Godspeed, Mr. Sacks, and thank you for teaching me to see the human mind in all its mystery and magic. You have been one of my most beloved authors since I first read your writing, and I know I will reread and be spellbound all over again. On learning of his terminal cancer: "I cannot pretend I am without fear. But my predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved; I have been given much and I have given something in return; I have read and traveled and thought and written. I have had an intercourse with the world, the special intercourse of writers and readers. Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RaspberryJam Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 "Hallucinations" is a great book as well. Great man, indeed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dagwave Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Well said, ksmoke. A brilliant mind indeed- my understanding is he spent his last months travelling with his partner, and embracing life to the end. I'd also like to mention that "The Last Hippie" is another wonderful piece, I believe it was published in the New York Times. Here's the link: http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/users/se367/14/Readings/sacks-Oliver-1995_anthropologist-on-mars_the-last-hippie.pdf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 How could I have forgotten "An Anthropologist on Mars"?!! That's an amazing book, and "The Last Hippie" is one of my favorite stories from it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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