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  • On the Move: A Life

  • By: Oliver Sacks
  • Narrated by: Dan Woren
  • Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (61 ratings)

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On the Move: A Life

By: Oliver Sacks
Narrated by: Dan Woren
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Publisher's Summary

When Oliver Sacks was 12 years old, a perceptive schoolmaster wrote in his report: "Sacks will go far, if he does not go too far." It is now abundantly clear that Sacks has never stopped going. From its opening reflection on his youthful obsession with motorcycles and speed, On the Move is infused with his restless energy.

As he recounts his experiences as a young neurologist in the early 1960s, first in California and then in New York, where he discovered a long-forgotten illness in the back wards of a chronic hospital, as well as with a group of patients who would define his life, it becomes clear that Sacks' earnest desire for engagement has occasioned unexpected encounters and travels - sending him through bars and alleys, over oceans, and across continents.

With unbridled honesty and humour, Sacks shows us that the same energy that drives his physical passions - bodybuilding, weightlifting, and swimming - also drives his cerebral passions. He writes about his love affairs, both romantic and intellectual, his guilt over leaving his family to come to America, his bond with his schizophrenic brother, and the writers and scientists - Thom Gunn, A. R. Luria, W. H. Auden, Gerald M. Edelman, Francis Crick - who influenced him.

On the Move is the story of a brilliantly unconventional physician and writer - and of the man who has illuminated the many ways that the brain makes us human.

©2015 Oliver Sacks (P)2015 Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

Critic Reviews

"His truly has been a life lived to the full – and beyond . . . it is the adventure of ideas he has undertaken that has bestowed on his life its remarkable originality." (Will Self, The Guardian)
"A compelling, surprising and sometimes astounding story of a richly lived life . . . fabulously surprising photos." (James McConnachie, The Sunday Times)
"[A] beautifully constructed and moving memoir . . . It is sad to think that Oliver Sacks's voice will soon be stilled, but his life and work are a gift to many and we can be grateful that he leaves such a legacy." (Andrew Scull, TLS)

What listeners say about On the Move: A Life

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting choice of voice...

Wonderful book, a fascinating journey into the life and mind of the incomparable Oliver Sacks.

I was somewhat distracted by the choice of reader for this book; while Dan Woren's performance is technically excellent, I found it strange that an English man with a cultured, somewhat effeminate speaking voice would be portrayed by a gravelly-voiced, highly masculine sounding American voice actor. It made the memoir sound a bit like an action story... Perhaps that was the point? It took me a while to get past this, but overall it was an absorbing and enjoyable listen.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Criticism

I am disappointed and frustrated by this reading of ‘Moving On’ Dr. Oliver Sacks’ great autobiography. Dr. Sacks is famously an English Jew, even though he worked in the US for some years. It is completely wrong to have his text read by a thin-voiced American actor. Secondly there are some glaring mispronunciations. The most offensive of these is to call the celebrated 20th century poet W.H. Auden “Owden” as opposed to saying “Awden “. In a literary work this is both ignorant and offensive.
Please lift your game!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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My inspiration

An incredible man, an incredible mind, and an incredible soul. Dr. Oliver Sacks is the man who influenced me into driving my love for science into a passion and career. I own my everything to the beautiful man that the world truly took for granted.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Every Oliver Sacks book is great, of course.

There were moments were he repeated stories from other books, still however, it was amazingly fascinating. What an incredible life, I feel like I was there with him through it all, and learned what he did in my regards. R.I.P.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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stunning

Absolutely amazing story that is so authentic. Could not recommend this book more strongly

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Light / bright: Opportunities reigned down on him.

The boy.
The family.
The caring parents.
The caring teachers.
The caring network of relatives and friends.
What a lot of gifts this fellow had, and he was encouraged and shown how to make use of them.
From a Semitic family, the wide ranging financial, educational, mentoring, familial relatives, and doting parents...... all reigned down gifts and contacts so that he was well cushioned and protected from life's harsher realities.
Lucky man.
Good story.

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Oliver Sacks -what an inspiration!

I adored this book, I felt like I was in the company of a good friend as I travelled with Oliver as he recounted his fascinating life journey;) I felt uplifted and inspired by the books' end.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Enjoyable read

This is a beautiful memoir, although I think Oliver tries to cover too much and spreads his stories a bit thin, I believe he should have just focused on the significant times of his life and also less on his professional and more on his personal life.

Still overall, it is a beautiful memoir and is beautifully told!

Totally recommend this gem...

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very honest and thoughtful autobiography

Would you listen to On the Move: A Life again? Why?

Yes

What was one of the most memorable moments of On the Move: A Life?

Lots of very memorable stories.

What does Dan Woren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Very pleasant voice and fits well as for the summary of a life.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Lots of moving moments.

Any additional comments?

As Oliver Sacks passed away this year, this book is really part of remembering and celebrating his extraordinary life,

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