Rating: 
Summary: How kind is Oliver Sacks
Review: A joy it is to see Dr. Sacks' joy at all he cares about--nature, history, philosophy, plants and people. _Island of the Colorblind_ exhibits in its best forms the connections he has been trying to make for years amongst all his loves. His previous attempts felt forced and contrived, but _Island of the Colorblind_, for the most part, weaves them all into an absorbing account of the history of the world, from cycads to achromatopes.
Rating: 
Summary: A very enjoyable read
Review: A little bit scientific mystery, a little bit traveloge, alittle bit autobiographical and a little bit of anthropology make this book a truly delightful read.
Rating:
Summary: Sacks seeking symptoms
Review: A practicing physician, Sacks conveys us on a journey through Pacific islands. He introduces
us to some bizarre afflictions. The nature of these illness isn't unusual, but the circumstances
on these archipelagoes is bizarre. The cause and mechanism of spread is revealed by none of
the investigations they've been subjected to up to now. Genetics, nutritional practices, habitat
have all been subject to scrutiny. None have imparted clear root causes for the colour
blindness on Pingelap/Pohnpei or nervous disorders on Guam. Both disorders,
achromotopia and lytico-bodig are types of afflictions Sacks has dealt with during his years in
practice. Both have varying manifestations, making diagnosis difficult. The colour blindness
carries other symptoms, sensitivity to bright light and loss of acuity. Reading may be difficult
for some ailing victims. The lytico-bodig on Guam is particularly difficult, since the
symptoms may not become apparent for generations. Sacks joins local doctors in examining
the patients and recounting the research.In assessing the symptoms and the environments, Sacks also conveys a sensitive rendering of
the islands' histories and current situations. Whalers, missionaries and the U.S. Navy have
brought plagues, displaced the inhabitants and ignored their impacts. Indigenous
populations have been decimated by diseases introduced by Europeans and North
Americans. It's an old, wearying story, but it must be told with honesty and perception.
Sacks does just that, with deep human feeling that makes this book captivating reading.
There's few things as frightening as a latent illness that seems to strike at whim. Since "bugs"
or even genetic origins aren't easily discerned in these cases, it makes the physician's task that
much more exacting. Sacks keeps the reader at his side with finesse as he tours the islands,
examines the suffering and describes the efforts to counter the misery. It's a call for others to
take up the challenge, and he offers tools in the massive notes and bibliography. It's a
challenge worth pursuing. Anyone entering medicine will find this book valuable. For the
rest of us, it's an inspirational volume, well told, with valuable insight to a dedicated doctor's
experiences.
Rating:
Summary: Sacks seeking symptoms
Review: A practicing physician, Sacks conveys us on a journey through Pacific islands. He introduces
us to some bizarre afflictions. The nature of these illness isn't unusual, but the circumstances
on these archipelagoes is bizarre. The cause and mechanism of spread is revealed by none of
the investigations they've been subjected to up to now. Genetics, nutritional practices, habitat
have all been subject to scrutiny. None have imparted clear root causes for the colour
blindness on Pingelap/Pohnpei or nervous disorders on Guam. Both disorders,
achromotopia and lytico-bodig are types of afflictions Sacks has dealt with during his years in
practice. Both have varying manifestations, making diagnosis difficult. The colour blindness
carries other symptoms, sensitivity to bright light and loss of acuity. Reading may be difficult
for some ailing victims. The lytico-bodig on Guam is particularly difficult, since the
symptoms may not become apparent for generations. Sacks joins local doctors in examining
the patients and recounting the research. In assessing the symptoms and the environments, Sacks also conveys a sensitive rendering of
the islands' histories and current situations. Whalers, missionaries and the U.S. Navy have
brought plagues, displaced the inhabitants and ignored their impacts. Indigenous
populations have been decimated by diseases introduced by Europeans and North
Americans. It's an old, wearying story, but it must be told with honesty and perception.
Sacks does just that, with deep human feeling that makes this book captivating reading.
There's few things as frightening as a latent illness that seems to strike at whim. Since "bugs"
or even genetic origins aren't easily discerned in these cases, it makes the physician's task that
much more exacting. Sacks keeps the reader at his side with finesse as he tours the islands,
examines the suffering and describes the efforts to counter the misery. It's a call for others to
take up the challenge, and he offers tools in the massive notes and bibliography. It's a
challenge worth pursuing. Anyone entering medicine will find this book valuable. For the
rest of us, it's an inspirational volume, well told, with valuable insight to a dedicated doctor's
experiences.
Rating:
Summary: See Through Sacks' Eyes
Review: As this book confirms, the characteristic of Sacks which endears him to readers the most is his love for humanity: he is capable of discovering and describing beauty in any person, no matter how seemingly disturbed, disfigured, or impaired.
Rating: 
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: Having read all of Dr. Sacks previous books, I was looking forward to an enthralling tale. But this book is so disjointed and rambling. It's all fluff and hardly any meat. It could have been expanded and written as four good books: one totally about the Island of the Colorblind; one totally about Cycads; one totally about the neurological disease bodig on Guam; and the final one containing all of Dr. Sacks' trivia about the Pacific Islands. Jumping back and forth between the story and the voluminous notes was irritating, and the notes, while interesting, were not especially necessary for the most part. The good doctor does not go as indepth as he has in his previous books and this is sorely missed.
Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: Having read all of Dr. Sacks previous books, I was looking forward to an enthralling tale. But this book is so disjointed and rambling. It's all fluff and hardly any meat. It could have been expanded and written as four good books: one totally about the Island of the Colorblind; one totally about Cycads; one totally about the neurological disease bodig on Guam; and the final one containing all of Dr. Sacks' trivia about the Pacific Islands. Jumping back and forth between the story and the voluminous notes was irritating, and the notes, while interesting, were not especially necessary for the most part. The good doctor does not go as indepth as he has in his previous books and this is sorely missed.
Rating:
Summary: Anthropology and Neurology Meet in Micronesia
Review: Having thoroughly enjoyed 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat' I opted to make this my second Dr. Sacks outing. Once again the good doctor provides compelling, humane, interesting stories about odd physiological conditions and the cultures that foster and contend with them. In multiple episodes that have him traveling to small volcanic islands in Micronesia, the entertaining neurologist studies a group of people who have been born without the ability to see color. Accompanying him is a Nordic specialist in this genetic trait, and one who also happens to share the same condition. As the troupe moves about the islands, they meet and talk with the achromatopes; the natives and Knut evince a feeling of camaraderie. Dr. Sacks plumbs their depths to hear them describe their world in terms of textures and monochrome shades, completely barren of color. Along the way, he experiences a taste of their 'night' lives, the skills they have developed to compensate for their lack of color sight. The next topic in the island hopping takes them to Guam where Sacks sees the patients of an associate who suffer from lytico-bodig, a degenerative condition which causes paralysis [not unlike Dr. Sacks' own neurological patients] and eventual dissolution. Having struck only a certain age bracket on the islands, the mysterious disease has confounded science for almost four decades and has almost killed off its victims. Finally, he treks to Rota to walk among the ancient Cycad plants that have captured his imagination since childhood. This novel appealed to the adventurer's spirit while I was reading it, listening to Dr. Sacks describes the beauty of the island culture and the supremely languid pace of life. Dr. Sacks' writing is not only aesthetically entertaining, but his case studies continue to pique the interest of the intellect. However, one is never so bowled over by the beauty of the surroundings as to forget the real human cases being presented. It is indeed an odd combination, this beauty and tragedy, but one that works very well in this novel producing an enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Anthropology and Neurology Meet in Micronesia
Review: Having thoroughly enjoyed `The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat' I opted to make this my second Dr. Sacks outing. Once again the good doctor provides compelling, humane, interesting stories about odd physiological conditions and the cultures that foster and contend with them. In multiple episodes that have him traveling to small volcanic islands in Micronesia, the entertaining neurologist studies a group of people who have been born without the ability to see color. Accompanying him is a Nordic specialist in this genetic trait, and one who also happens to share the same condition. As the troupe moves about the islands, they meet and talk with the achromatopes; the natives and Knut evince a feeling of camaraderie. Dr. Sacks plumbs their depths to hear them describe their world in terms of textures and monochrome shades, completely barren of color. Along the way, he experiences a taste of their `night' lives, the skills they have developed to compensate for their lack of color sight. The next topic in the island hopping takes them to Guam where Sacks sees the patients of an associate who suffer from lytico-bodig, a degenerative condition which causes paralysis [not unlike Dr. Sacks' own neurological patients] and eventual dissolution. Having struck only a certain age bracket on the islands, the mysterious disease has confounded science for almost four decades and has almost killed off its victims. Finally, he treks to Rota to walk among the ancient Cycad plants that have captured his imagination since childhood. This novel appealed to the adventurer's spirit while I was reading it, listening to Dr. Sacks describes the beauty of the island culture and the supremely languid pace of life. Dr. Sacks' writing is not only aesthetically entertaining, but his case studies continue to pique the interest of the intellect. However, one is never so bowled over by the beauty of the surroundings as to forget the real human cases being presented. It is indeed an odd combination, this beauty and tragedy, but one that works very well in this novel producing an enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: fascinating...the best of Sacks
Review: I adore the quirkiness of Oliver Sacks. Such a multifaceted individual...neurologist, botanist, world-traveller, musically talented, and a bona-fide eccentric of the best kind. I have read nearly all of his books and this is one of the best. My biggest fault with Sacks is that he can drone on about minutiae in the middle of a scintillating story and lose the interest of his readers. I love a good detailed medical story, and I don't have ADD or anything, but I skipped through many pages of "An Anthropologist on Mars", in spite of the great stories in that book. In *this* book he keeps the tale lively and doesn't lapse into stupefying detail. It's full of juicy tidbits from a variety of areas: the history and anthropology of the peoples of the Pacific islands, personal anecdotes of the people he meets, a delightful travelogue, descriptions of beautiful ferns and cycad forests, adventure, mystery... Main story #1: The genetically color-blind people of a small Pacific island. How did they get to be that way? What is it like to live on a small primitive island in a village of color-blind people? Main story #2: What caused the majority of the population of Guam in the early part of this century to fall ill with a mysterious Parkinsonian-like disease that in some cases wiped out entire families? Oh, and here's the rub...this disease has now almost disappeared. Could it be the cycads? Or not?
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