Awakenings by Oliver Sacks Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Awakenings
Book Review: A deeper dive into the disease
Summary: 4 Stars
You saw the movie and now you're hankering to learn more about the backgrounds and the treatments of the patients brought to the silver screen in "Awakenings". If you're hoping for a pop-sci version of the film, you'll be disappointed. The screenplay took poetic license with the original text, dressing it up with more drama and humor than you'll find in the book. On the other hand, if you're looking for an in-depth chronicle of the disease, which reads at times like a medical journal, then this book will certainly satisfy you.
Sacks is both a tireless writer and a devoted practioner of medicine. The book reflects who he is. It's thoroughlly annotated with footnotes, and includes a lengthy glossary to help you sort out all of the medical jargon which is used judiciously throughout the text. It was definitely an eye-opener reading the book after seeing the movie. But they're very different projects. See the movie if you're interested in an entertaining and fascinating story about a handful of awakenings in the late 1960s. Read the book if you want the deep dive into the disease and Dr. Sacks' lifelong devotion to its treatment.
Book Review: Awakenings
Summary: 5 Stars
Well written and understandable. I love how Oliver Sacks did the time sequencing to better understand the progression of his patients. I loved this book.Book Review: Awakenings
Summary: 3 Stars
This story is fascinating! I watched the movie and then wanted to learn more, so I bought the book. The stories really make you appreciate your life.
This book, however, has a lot of medical jargon, so it is hard to follow at times. Also, Dr. Sacks writes in a professional manner. It isn't like a memoir or a typical novel that you would read. It can be had to follow.
Book Review: Awakenings
Summary: 3 Stars
In spite of all the praise that this book has received from other readers, all the glowing reviews it has garnered, and its' scientific value, which I am not qualified to either laud or argue, I found it to be a great disappointment. I don't like saying this for Oliver Sacks has long been one of my favorite writers. In fact, when I purchased this book, it was the only one of his that I did not already own: I could hardly wait to open its' cover. But, high expectations notwithstanding, it fell flat. Whereas, in Sacks' other works, the individuals featured in his case histories seemed so real, so fully fleshed out, that they literally walked across the pages, in Awakenings, it was as if they never awakened at all. Sorry.Book Review: Awakenings, no doubt!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I couldn't put this book down!!!!
Dr. Sacks provides an excellent picture of a truly enigmatic disorder that seems, by all accounts, to defy logic as we know it. I do believe (also expressed by other reviewers) that the abundance of footnotes breaks up the flow of the story lines and can be a bit annoying at times. But, being a reader of academic literature, I am fairly used to it.
By and large, I can understand why some might think that Dr. Sacks' approach was rather hit or miss or even inhumane by contemporary standards. Today, we would probably be more methodical and ethical, for that matter, in administering chemicals (At least I hope so....) But, one also has to realize that during the late 60's there was hardly the technological devices that we have now (EEG, PET, or CAT) to analyze the brain.
I applaude Dr. Sacks for his hard work and determination in trying to give some semblance of life to these rather unfortunate souls whose only fault was contracting this horrible ailment.
Those who feel that encephalitis lethargica is something of the past should think twice about such an assumption. Indeed Dr. Sacks addresses this subject in the appendix of the book.
The recent emergence of Avian Flu (H5N1), which is incidentally a 'relative' of the Spanish Flu (H1N1), should send thinking minds into a durbish of activity. But, who knows????