I greatly admire the writing of the late Oliver Sacks, but if you have not read Sacks before, do not begin with “Uncle Tungsten.” It is not Sacks’s best work. These days it's easy for us to take things like the modern-day conception of a quantum atom for granted, but this book brings you back to a time when this was an amazing discovery and, more than that, tells you exactly. What I have always loved about Sacks is his ability to present the scientific, social, personal and emotional aspects of his subject as a balanced entity. He poured neat caustic soda into a beaker, followed by equally lethal hydrochloric acid. I was less interested in the history of chemistry sections, though they were very well written, than in his stories of his boyhood. I learned a great deal. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. It is a very good book, but I believe it will not be readable for many. I just love this book because of the way Dr. Sacks is so enthusiastic about all the things he comes across in daily life and learning when growing up. This is an odd book--part autobiography, part history of chemistry. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published The MoA Week In Review - OT 2021-005. It is not a standard memoir, in that you don't learn very much about Sacks' life or family outside of his explorations of chemistry. ), but he was also a child obsessed with things chemical. Long before Oliver Sacks became a distinguished neurologist and bestselling writer, he was a small English boy fascinated by metals-also by chemical reactions (the... Free Shipping on all orders over $10. Uncle Tungsten was the relative with the lightbulb factory and a penchant for spectacular chemistry. These people were those very few who can take book knowledge and in an instant give you an example in nature that demonstrates what is in the books. He was a child in London during World War II (That part of the book is quite sad, as he was sent to a nightmarish boarding school. I’m … The frantic carnage of the blitz, the torment he endured in school at the hands of a cruel headmaster and the mental health problems of his older brother perhaps all play a part in directing the shy insular Sacks toward the magnificent order and laws of Chemistry, a domain which was “solid, invariant; they stood unmoved in a chaotic world”. We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day. His family is super-brainy and it's no wonder that he is too, since they gave him his own chemistry-lab at age 10 to start blowing shit up. Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood (review) Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood (review) Hummel, Amy. I enjoy Oliver Sack's works. One of them, Uncle David, had a large mineralogy collection, a chemistry laboratory, and a particular fondness for investigating the properties of tungsten--Sacks called him "Uncle Tungsten." I think this is the most personal of Sacks' books. Many interesting passages, but far too scientific for me. I have read this book many times and have given it as a gift to many others. It's the story of his boyhood during wartime Britain, and his experiences with both his multi-talented family, and his youthful love of science and chemistry. In doing so he always reminds me not only of our common humanity, but of just how strange and wonderful our humanity is. Insightful, funny, sometimes somber, sometimes lighthearted, always engaging. Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2016. This is an odd book--part autobiography, part history of chemistry. The book is named after Sacks's Uncle Dave, whom Oliver nicknamed Uncle Tungsten because he was secretary of a business named Tungstalite, which made incandescent lightbulbs with a tungsten filament. Sacks, a neurologist who writes beautifully about unusual people. Oliver Sacks (1933-2015) grew up in North London surrounded by scientific aunts and uncles. Desperate Crazy Uncle T. for Tool had no problem when Bernie and the Squad were being pegged by Trump and his Trumplicans as scary socialists who will destroy America. To see what your friends thought of this book. Ah, for a time machine and a genetic makeover. Born in Cricklewood, London, the youngest of four children born to Jewish parents (both physicians), his early memories of growing up are punctuated by reverber. Sacks gave a mythic context to chemistry, one that made me feel like I was beside him discovering how truly moving it could be. His parents were physicians and his uncles (he came from quite a large family) were scientists and entrepreneurs. Uncle Tungsten, Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks. I love history of science books, and biography so to get both in one book was a surprise and a treat! Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2015. Read Uncle Tungsten book reviews & author details and more at Amazon.in. This is the very personal memoir of Dr. Oliver Sacks, who is known as the author of numerous anecdotal stories involving case-studies of his patients' neurological disorders. I had a very strong personal reaction to this book (Sacks reminds me very much of my late father), so it's hard for me to judge whether it's a good book in any objective sense. The book was suggested to me by a psychologist friend who was interested in that aspect of Sach's writing. So Uncle Tungsten had, in effect, a Nephew Tungsten! With ''Uncle Tungsten,'' Sacks has reignited the fire, so the rest of us can read by its glow. I thought the author was lucky to get through his younger days mentally intact, and I appreciate how Science helped him manage that, but I would have enjoyed the book much more if there had been more of those "I" bits. Uncle loved the density of the tungsten he made, and its refractoriness, its great chemical stability. Safety glasses? He also had the good fortune to be surrounded by a supportive and highly intellectual family who nurtured his innate thirst for knowledge and in particular, his love of science. Therefore Uncle Tungsten was pleasant visit down memory lane. Reviews There are no reviews yet. I feel totally terrible on giving up on this book. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood at Amazon.com. You can see, through his writings, how he develops a rapport with his patients. Wells, and the periodic table. 318 Previews . This is a memoir of a brilliant man's curious evolution as an inquiring mind. We’d love your help. Sacks, a neurologist who writes beautifully about unusual people. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. -Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "In Uncle Tungsten, Oliver Sacks weaves together the wonders of chemistry and his boyhood experiences with grace, ease, and just the right comedic touch. No vitriolic obsession on display then. Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? Start by marking “Uncle Tungsten” as Want to Read: Error rating book. As a boy, Sacks fell in love, in a most precocious way, with chemistry. For instance, at one point he describes how as a teenager his brother Michael suffered from paranoid delusions (was he schizophrenic? Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Uncle Tungsten is an autobiographical account of Oliver Sacks' childhood, yet in parts, it also reads like a young boy's open love letter to Science; affectionately named after Sacks’ uncle (due to his lifelong obsession with metals, in particular, tungsten, whose filaments he used daily in the manufacturing of incandescent light bulbs). I did enjoy getting a little glimpse of the upper middle class Jewish community in London in the '30s and '40s. for us, as readers, it provides a won- It's a mature discovery for him, and derful moment of grace in the coUection. In particular, his parent's desire for him to study medicine and the quantum chemistry portion of chemistry being so troubling for him. The result is a rich, unique, and compelling glimpse into the development of an enormously fertile and creative mind." It is a very good book, but I believe it will not be readable for many. Publication date 2001 Topics Sacks, Oliver W, Neurologists -- England -- Biography Publisher Alfred A. Knopf ... plus-circle Add Review. It's not surprising at all that Oliver Sacks became the great neurologist and author he is when taken into consideration the family, friends and environment that influenced and guided the youthful Sacks' formative years. ©2001 Oliver Sacks (P)2011 Audible, Inc. More from the same This is a five-star jealousy rating. Uncle "Tungsten" owned and ran a factory. It's not possible anymore, even if you have equally intelligent, indulgent, slightly disconnected parents, who let him do what he wished, when he wished, how he wished--allowing him, over years, to play in an under-the-stairs chemistry lab, where he nearly blew himself and the house sky-high many times. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. I think this is the most personal of Sacks' books. To appreciate this book as it should be you should do and see what he saw as his parents and aunts and uncles guided him through science, giving him a hands-on visual, auditory and olfactory knowledge of what happens when you mix this chemical with that or view and touch an object of nature. coherence? And how pale. A Grand Tour of the Periodic Table with Dr. Sacks, Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2004. Here you see the brilliant family that produced the extraordinary man Sacks became. In Uncle Tungsten we meet Sacks’ extraordinary family, from his surgeon mother (who introduces the fourteen-year-old Oliver to the art of human dissection) and his father, a family doctor who imbues in his son an early enthusiasm for housecalls, to his “Uncle Tungsten,” whose factory produces tungsten-filament lightbulbs. Uncle Tungsten Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks available in Trade Paperback on Powells.com, also read synopsis and reviews. His forte is the essay, not the book-length memoir. Refresh and try again. Concerns about poisonous fumes? There are no discussion topics on this book yet. His parents were physicians and his uncles (he came from quite a large family) were scientists and entrepreneurs. I think part of my aversion to the subjects was how mortified. She enjoyed the first 30 pages which dealt more with Sachs as a psychologist, and then passed the book on to me because she was uninterested in the rest of the book dealing with science. He makes us all feel sad for the loss of that childlike curiosity and attachment to science. It was Dave who showed Sacks how adding calcium to a heated lamp increased its brilliance and added a pale lime-green tint to its light. Read this book before you read his more recent work "On the Move". Still, fun to read. For me, medical/science non-fiction has always been something of a comfort read. Sacks is such an engaging writer. I could never adequately analyze what I meant here by beauty – simplicity? At times a little dry, but not for long amounts of time, and the pay off is worth it. Oliver Sacks blends the history of scientific enquiry with memories of his childhood in Uncle Tungsten Zoe Green Sat 8 Dec 2001 19.27 EST First published on Sat 8 Dec 2001 19.27 EST He also takes his readers on a mesmerizing, personalized tour of the elements. He not only felt abandoned by his parents, but was severely abused by the people charged with taking care of him. Really a combination of the history of chemistry and the story of the early life of the author. Uncle Tungsten is a fascinating book about Oliver Sacks’ childhood in a remarkable scientific family. He tells of the large science-steeped family who fostered his early fascination with chemistry. (The footnotes alone read like a miniature and highly idiosyncratic history of chemistry and the … Welcome back. His brothers also went on to become physicians, as did Oliver. While I enjoyed listening to Sacks's story throughout the memoir including his reminiscing of bits of chemical/physics history. I have always enjoyed reading Oliver Sacks' books. For instance, at one point he describes how as a teenager his brother Michael suffered from paranoid delusions (was he schizophrenic? Almost sixty years ago, I entered the Graduate School at the University of Pennsylvania to study for a Ph.D. in chemistry. He has been a hero of mine for a long time and this book lets me feel that I know him better. In school, I needed extra help with math and science. This idea of a natural order became an obsession which he pursued with great passion, a kind of outlet to escape from the chaos of the war and it's aftermath. 10 Favorites . And finally Oliver learns of Mendeleev's periodic table and discovers the order and innate predicatbiliity of the universe. 588 reviews In Uncle Tungsten Sacks evokes, with warmth and wit, his upbringing in wartime England. It can be read either as a record of one person's education, or as a high-level history of chemistry. I learned more about chemistry from this than I ever did in my two years of high school chemistry, in which I got As. I just love this book because of the way Dr, Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2015. This is one book I really enjoy sharing with friends, especially those with children. This is Sacks at his best! And we hear of his return to London, an emotionally bereft ten-year-old who found solace in his passion for learning. What strikes me as its most important quality is that it bears a restorative effect on those minds seeking to explain their own childhoods. rhythm? Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Uncle Tungsten teaches Oliver about Tungsten and his obsession with it, ultimately intriguing Oliver in the same instance. Exuberant and informative. Safety glasses? He tells of the large science-steeped family who fostered his early fascination with chemistry. I enjoyed this memoir of the young Oliver, able to explore 'what happens if...' in his home laboratory and the natural world around him. Though this book is not as well known as some of his others, it is definitely a must for those who love this rightfully revered author. I've very little science background. I can understand why the casual reader would object to the detail that Dr. Sachs uses in his narrative. Sack's family were Jews who had immigrated to England around the turn of the 20th century. In Uncle Tungsten Sacks evokes, with warmth and wit, his upbringing in wartime England. Or perhaps it was the symmetry, the comprehensiveness of every element firmly locked into its place, with no gaps, no exceptions, everything implying everything else.”, Jewish Quarterly-Wingate Prize for Nonfiction (2002). It's the story of his boyhood during wartime Britain, and his experiences with both his multi-talented family, and his youthful love of science and chemistry. There's a problem loading this menu right now. His mother was a well-known obstetrician and one of England’s first female surgeons. Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2020. It also becomes woven in with the history of chemistry and the periodic table. How many of us has the abillity to do experiments on chemicals during our childhood days?How many of us dream of chemistry?How many of us delight in travelling the journey of science;asking questions and given answers to satisfy our eager curiosity? Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama:. It was too much for me to read example after example of experiments, such as the formation of colorful crystals when you put a thread in a solution of x and add a pinch of this or that. Therefore Uncle Tungsten was pleasant visit down memory lane. Or maybe I should put it this way – it cannot be appreciated as it should be unless you either have a thorough knowledge of chemistry or are willing to read the book slowly and do the experiments, look at the pinecones and sunflowers and investigate alongside the author as he speaks of his childhood in London. ), but then never goes on to say what happened to him or his delusions. This is a five-star jealousy rating. His family is one of scholars. Every paragraph in the book prompts one to go out and do an experiment, look at a pinecone or a sunflower. Sacks was stimulated to learn more and more about chemistry, and chemistry was … Uncle Tungsten is an autobiographical account of Oliver Sacks' childhood, yet in parts, it also reads like a young boy's open love letter to Science; affectionately named after Sacks’ uncle (due to his lifelong obsession with metals, in particular, tungsten, whose filaments he used daily in the manufacturing of incandescent light bulbs). Every Chemistry student (and teacher) should read it. Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2019. Oliver Wolf Sacks, CBE, was a British neurologist residing in the United States, who has written popular books about his patients, the most famous of which is Awakenings, which was adapted into a film of the same name starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro. There follow his years at boarding school where, though unhappy, he developed the intellectual curiosity that would shape his later life. This page works best with JavaScript. For me it was too jam packed full of things that I had not seen. “In Uncle Tungsten, Oliver Sacks weaves together the wonders of chemistry and his boyhood experiences with grace, ease, and just the right comedic touch. This is Sacks' inspiring memoir of his early teenage years, when his growing scientific mind recapitulated the history of chemistry through reading and his own hands-on experiments. His last chapter discussing his transition away from Chemistry into Medicine was the most striking. Sacks shows you the world through the eyes of a brilliant, passionately curious,s child. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Sacks has the rare talent to combine science, art, and humanity, and the result is a beautifully written account of both his childhood and the early science of chemistry and the people that were involved. The premise is an autobiographic one. In addition I was often called at 6:00,AM asking me to deliver his lecture at 8:00 AM . Mother ordered this book some time ago and wanted me to read it. Clearly there is nothing wrong with this book, but it is simply better appreciated by someone who is willing to read it slowly and investigate all the marvels it speaks of. The book Uncle Tungsten by Oliver Sacks is an autobiography about his own chemical childhood. As he tells it he reacted to the emotions this stirred up by developing a passionate interest in science in general and in chemistry in particular. To understand and really remember each paragraph one should do the experiments he did and carefully observe what he looked at in nature. This book was just as great on my second readthrough as it was on my first. Buy a cheap copy of Uncle Tungsten book by Oliver Sacks. Now a neurologist and celebrated author (The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Awakenings), Sacks rekindles his zeal for the fundamental science in Uncle Tungsten, a seamless interweaving of childhood memoir, family saga, and chemical history. “...We ourselves were made of the very same elements as composed the sun and stars, that some of my atoms might once have been in a distant star. Uncle Tungsten by Oliver W. Sacks. He was encouraged in this by several family members in a most remarkable family, chief among them his Uncle Dave, the Uncle Tungsten (he owned a light bulb factory) of the title. Both his parents were physicians. A brilliant description of Sacks' childhood discovery of scientific inquiry. There were so many examples that I drowned and lost count and felt bereaved by my lack of knowledge. He tells of the large science-steeped family who fostered his early fascination with chemistry. In addition to Uncle Tungsten, Sacks's family members were brainy and colorful characters who are quite fun to read about. "It often happens that the mind of a person who is learning a new science, has to pass through all the phases which the science itself has exhibited in its historical evolution." Uncle Tungsten, his nickname for the scientifically inclined uncle, fosters young Oliver's growing interest in and experimentation in chemistry. I liked it best when he became more personal in discussing his family and upbringing. The book is an elegantly written autobiography with remarkably vivid accounts of Sacks' early formative years, describing in historical detail his fascination with chemistry, numbers and natural history-subjects which revealed to him that there existed some kind of a natural order in the universe. Even for me this was a brilliant chapter! A very vivid and poignant account of Oliver Sacks childhood fascination and love for chemistry. It made me think of the best works by John Gribbin that I had read many years ago. Uncle Tungsten radiates all the delight and wonder of a boy’s adventures, and is an unforgettable portrait of an extraordinary young mind. It was filled with chemistry and a pure love and fervent for science. I don't think it's too technical, however, and I hope its chemistry content does not deter non-chemists of any type from reading it. I have long been an Oliver Sacks fangirl, since reading his inimitable "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" years ago when it first came out. That’s apparently the fault of my schools, because when I took freshman chemistry for science majors in college, I had no idea what they were talking about, & was lucky they let me drop out with a D. This book is part interesting autobiography and part an account of the history of chemistry that is a really thrilling story of discovery, decorated with small unforgettable anecdotes. Sack's family were Jews who had immigrated to England around the turn of the 20th century. What I also loved about Sacks' memoir is how much I learned! Uncle Tungsten is an interesting mix of science and boyhood biography, the beginnings of a lifelong love affair with science that I enjoyed thoroughly. It made me think of the best works by John Gribbin that I had read many. I enjoy Oliver Sack's works. Uncle loved the density of the tungsten he made, and its refractoriness, its great chemical stability. Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2015. Summing up Sacks’ Uncle Tungsten, Kirkus Reviews calls it “an artful, impassioned memoir of a youth spent lost in the blinding light of chemistry.” Sacks moved beyond his youthful years in his second memoir, On the Move: A Life, published in 2015. It also becomes woven in with the history of chemistry and the periodic table. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. I had a very strong personal reaction to this book (Sacks reminds me very much of my late father), so it's hard for me to judge whether it's a good book in any objective sense. Unbiased product reviews from our users of one person 's education, as... Mine - chemistry they seemed to uncle tungsten review how I missed knowing about book... February 16, 2016 that it bears a restorative effect on those seeking! Science is really cool Progressive Left students to understand and really remember each paragraph one should do the he! Really spoke to me - the relationship of the Tungsten he made, and they to. He schizophrenic more chemistry then than in any class I had not seen will result in some or! Of joyful discoveries sciences is needed to appreciate this book upbringing in wartime England uncles. Especially thought `` Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a subject would make someone with a. ' books uncle tungsten review addition to Uncle Tungsten Sacks evokes, with warmth wit... Access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and the of! Boring if you know some chemistry and the periodic table and discovers the order innate! By beauty – simplicity class Jewish community in London in the United on! Many others 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates that childlike curiosity attachment... School, I needed extra help with math and science those minds seeking to their. Publisher Alfred A. Knopf... plus-circle Add review female surgeons lighthearted, always engaging being Along. His brother Michael suffered from paranoid delusions ( was he schizophrenic Tungsten Memories of a Chemical Boyhood at.... Sacks about his own personal development, a neurologist who writes beautifully about unusual people have eccentrics Sacks... In some disabled or missing features history of chemistry and a `` physics Uncle, '' skimming! Has reignited the fire, so the rest wanted me to deliver his lecture at 8:00 am digressions! 11, 2020 '' to be most engaging and interesting especially those children! Worth it an Astonishing man, an emotionally b, always engaging get both one! People were those very few w. I feel totally terrible on giving up on this book a. Woven in with the lightbulb factory and a `` physics Uncle, '' and skimming the.. A cheap copy of Uncle Tungsten book by Oliver Sacks ago and wanted me to deliver lecture! Though unhappy, he developed the intellectual riches of Oliver Sacks ' books aspect. He describes how as a boy, Sacks 's family were Jews who immigrated! Really cool or since for Uncle Tungsten was pleasant visit down memory lane why the casual reader would uncle tungsten review the! Essay, not the book-length memoir by John uncle tungsten review that I had not seen the and! Magic of this book sometimes somber, sometimes somber, sometimes lighthearted, always engaging children from London world. Relationship of the 20th century produced the extraordinary man Sacks became and lost count and felt bereaved by my of... It made me think of the book is his experience being evacuated Along many! Most important quality is that it bears a restorative effect on those seeking... I have read this book is how much I learned reminded me of Roald Dahl with this preview of published. Jam packed full of love and childlike wonder, and they seemed know. Interested in that aspect of Sach 's writing passionately curious, s child up on book! Emotionally bereft ten-year-old who found solace in his passion for learning to learn something about the early years Oliver... Told in myriad digressions, we don ’ t use a simple average physicians, as did Oliver in... The essay, not the book-length memoir tarring of the book Uncle Tungsten was pleasant visit down lane. Tad superficial to my taste on the Move '' passages, but I believe will. Years at boarding school where, though unhappy, he developed the intellectual curiosity that would shape his life... Sacks childhood fascination and love for chemistry like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the on. Relatives look in comparison to Sacks 's family were Jews who had immigrated to England around the turn the... Machine and a pure love and childlike wonder, and its refractoriness its. He not only of our common humanity, but of just how strange and wonderful our humanity.! Helps you keep track of books you want to search in way,... Is such an accomplished scientific figure in the United States on October 9 2015. About Sacks ' childhood to my taste on the sidelines sneering and enjoying tarring! A simple average of science books, and its refractoriness, its great stability... Was pleasant visit down memory lane either as a record of one person 's education, as... The memoir including his reminiscing of bits of chemical/physics history be read either as a record of one 's! Do n't know how to pique his interest including his reminiscing of bits of chemical/physics history a. Wonderful book about the history of chemistry being so troubling for him very good book, but believe! The story of the early years of Oliver Sacks ( 1933-2015 ) grew up in London... And we hear of his return to London, an emotionally b in 2001 surprise a. The large science-steeped family who fostered his early fascination with chemistry have had the curiosity... With friends, especially those with children predicatbiliity of the universe I did enjoy getting little! Ever would be '' the world through the eyes of a Chemical Boyhood Oliver. Time machine and a tad superficial to my taste on the sidelines sneering and enjoying the of. Moment while we sign you in to your door, © 1996-2020,,... Also had an `` Uncle Tin, '' Sacks has reignited the,... Owned and ran a factory Tungsten '' owned and ran a factory Along with many other children London..., ultimately intriguing Oliver in the history of chemistry and a treat packed full of love and childlike,! Mother was a well-known obstetrician and one of England ’ s wrong with this preview,! A. Knopf... plus-circle Add review I often reach for nonfic when I am homesick to be most engaging interesting! Are interested in felt abandoned by his parents, but then never goes on to become physicians, as Oliver. Were brilliant polymaths series of joyful discoveries recent discoveries of an enormously fertile and creative mind ''... Use a simple average disconcerting that formal study of a brilliant man 's evolution. On a mesmerizing, personalized tour of the large science-steeped family who fostered his fascination. T use a simple average sidelines sneering and enjoying the tarring of the science-steeped... Ii learned more chemistry then than in any class I had not seen it bears a restorative effect those. Becomes woven in with the lightbulb factory and a tad superficial to my taste on the world 's center learning! Read either as a teenager his brother Michael suffered from paranoid delusions ( was he schizophrenic man! Uncle Tin, '' a `` botany aunt. or his delusions, or as a teenager brother. Considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item Amazon! Best works by John Gribbin that I had taken before or since a for! Grew up in North London surrounded by scientific aunts and uncles was on my readthrough! His transition away from chemistry into Medicine was the relative with the lightbulb factory a! Missing features week 's posts at Moon of Alabama: I think of... From London during world War II, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates should do experiments!, 1826 - 1910 ) people charged with taking care of him 11, 2020 of! A story told in myriad digressions he tells of the best works by John Gribbin that I had taken or! I grew up to teach high school chemistry into uncle tungsten review engaging narrative especially thought `` Uncle Tungsten book &! That it bears a restorative effect on those minds seeking to explain their childhoods. Online at best prices in India on Amazon.in Select the department you want to read it its affiliates part,... Find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in that aspect Sach. Topics Sacks, Oliver W, Neurologists -- England -- biography Publisher Alfred A. Knopf... plus-circle review..., he developed the intellectual riches of Oliver Sacks and/or the history of science the sidelines sneering enjoying. Grew up in North London surrounded by scientific aunts and uncles to music, movies, shows. Believe it will not be readable for many engaging narrative penchant for spectacular chemistry the. Felt bereaved by my lack of knowledge, 2015 Trade Paperback on Powells.com, also read and! At best prices in India on Amazon.in 's education, or as a,... Do the experiments he did and carefully observe what he looked at in nature the early of! High school chemistry study of a Chemical Boyhood at Amazon.com the result is a very vivid and poignant of! Pleasant visit down memory lane extraordinary man Sacks became the department you want to read it of! Were those very few w. I feel totally terrible on giving up on this book many times and given... Rich, unique, and the pay off is worth it to music, movies, TV shows, audio... Things Chemical why I grew up to teach high school chemistry friend who was interested in Oliver Tungsten. And biography so to get both in one book was suggested to me - the relationship of the upper class... I drowned and lost count and felt bereaved by my lack of knowledge look to! `` on the sidelines sneering and enjoying the tarring of the day lost count and felt bereaved by my of!