Wife or Hat?
Did you know which bizarre conditions could affect your brain?
“The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat” (1985) is an absolute must read for everyone interested in the human brain.
In his clinical tales Dr. Oliver Sacks, respected neurologist and author, describes patients afflicted with different neurological conditions. For example you’ll find a young lady suffering from loss of propioception, e.g. this woman will not be able to perceive the spatial position of her limbs. Or there’s the title tale, where a husband wants to put his wife on his head. Or you’ll smirk over the essay where Sacks describes an aphasic person watching the president speak on TV; and although she doesn’t understand a single word, she can’t believe what he’s saying, simply by observing his non-verbal communication. Hilarious and so true to life!
If you have a minute, buy the book, read it and enjoy it. By the way, the title essay “The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat” was adapted as a one-act chamber opera by Michael Nyman, an English composer of minimalist music.
I’m really looking forward to reading Dr. Sacks revised “Musicophilia – Tales of Music and the Brain” which will be available as of September 23, 2008.
