RIP Oliver Sacks

Oliver Sacks has died today, aged 82, of cancer. One of my favourite writers. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, An Anthropologist on Mars, Musicophilia, and Hallucinations are some of my favourite books of his. Wonderful writer, deep, original and important thinker, everyone should read him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/31/science/oliver-sacks-dies-at-82-neurologist-and-author-explored-the-brains-quirks.html?_r=0

rip

Sad news. I've only ever read "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat", which was a cool read but Sacks was revered by many as THE guy in his field. I've watched some lectures and heard him on NPR, TED talks, etc. and he came across as an incredibly open-minded and insightful individual. I had meant to buy a copy of Hallucinations, not only because it's a fascinating subject to begin with, but also because here was this polite old man talking about how he had to take these drugs in order to experience what others had and maintain his credibility as an author on the topic (though I think he said he had experienced hallucinations before without drugs).

RIP

Is Hallucinations up there with his best work Caze?

Also, if you're looking for another guy who has written some interesting books in a similar vein V.S. Ramachandran is awesome as well. Phantoms in the Brain is definitely worth checking out imo.

  On 8/31/2015 at 2:55 AM, Hail Sagan said:

Is Hallucinations up there with his best work Caze?

I think so yes, the subject matter is fascinating, and it's written in his usual eminently readable style. His earliest best work is perhaps a bit more varied, and focuses a bit more on the patients involved, this is a bit more focused in terms of the subject matter and on the experiences themselves, but that's well suited to the topic. Musicophilia is quite similar in that regard as well, the two best of his later work I think. His autobiography has just come out recently, will be checking that out soon.

He had some hallucinations as a child IIRC, due to migraine, his drug induced stuff was limited to a small period in his early 30s, when he heavily dosed himself with pharmaceutical grade shit.

Shit! Just seeing this now. :(

rip

Interesting article about his viewpoint on death...

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/25/oliver-sacks-who-has-taught-us-so-much-now-teaches-us-the-art-of-dying?CMP=twt_gu