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The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

a revealing exploration of the mysteries of the human mind

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The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

By: Oliver Sacks
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Oliver Sacks
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About this listen

A classic work of psychology, this international bestseller provides a groundbreaking insight into the human mind. With an introduction by Will Self, read by Oliver Sacks.

If a man has lost a leg or an eye, he knows he has lost a leg or an eye; but if he has lost a self – himself – he cannot know it, because he is no longer there to know it.

In this extraordinary book, Dr. Oliver Sacks recounts the stories of patients struggling to adapt to often bizarre worlds of neurological disorder. Here are people who can no longer recognize everyday objects or those they love; who are stricken with violent tics or shout involuntary obscenities, and yet are gifted with uncanny artistic or mathematical talents. If inconceivably strange, these brilliant tales illuminate what it means to be human.

A provocative exploration of the mysteries of the human mind, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat is a million-copy bestseller by the twentieth century's greatest neurologist.

 Brain & Nervous System Essays Mental Health Neuroscience & Neuropsychology Physical Illness & Disease Psychology Psychology & Mental Health

Critic Reviews

A gripping journey into the recesses of the human mind
Oliver Sacks has become the world's best-known neurologist. His case studies of broken minds offer brilliant insight into the mysteries of consciousness
Populated by a cast as strange as that of the most fantastic fiction . . . Dr Sacks shows the awesome powers of our mind and just how delicately balanced they have to be
Dr. Sacks's most absorbing book . . . His tales are so compelling [because] many of them serve as eerie metaphors not only for the condition of modern medicine but of modern man
This book is for everybody who has felt from time to time that certain twinge of self-identity and sensed how easily, at any moment, one might lose it
A decidedly original approach . . . In addition to possessing the technical skills of a twentieth-century doctor, [Sacks] sees the human condition like a philosopher-poet. The resultant mixture is insightful, compassionate and moving . . . he recounts these histories with the lucidity and power of a gifted short-story writer . . . a masterpiece of clinical writing
All stars
Most relevant
Simply brilliantly written regardless of the lens for critique. I can't wait to start Musicophilia.

Everything you want in a good book.

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I really enjoyed the reader's reading of the book. Kept me wanting to keep listening and come back each time I had the time to listen.

The beautifully described sharing of the lives and experiences of the people and the beautiful writing style of the author.

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this is a great story for any psychologist to listen to while also terrifying to hear what could have to you at any moment

A very interesting yet terrifying story

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Medicine can be patriarchal and deficit-focused but Dr Sacks relates the brain and its maladies back to a mediation of humanity full of wonder, curiosity, compassion and incredible insight. The old medical terminology is no longer politically correct & can be jarring but the observations speak of a beautiful soul. I learned so much from this book and was brought to tears.

A magical mystery tour of the human brain

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Jonathan Davis does a perfect performance and is very easy to listen to. The book itself is incredible do yourself a favour and have a listen

Fascinating

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