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Summary: The Man Who Mistook This Documentary for a Story
Review: I am a big fan of Oliver Sacks and despite my low rating for this book, I will continue to be a big fan. I was simply misled. I thought it was going to be the characteristic, titillating Sacks tale, as were "Awakenings" or "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat." Instead, it was a disjointed journal of Sacks travels in Micronesia. It certainly had its interesting, intellectual points but fell far short of the usual Sacks page-turner.
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Summary: A mini-vacation for the scientifically curious
Review: I had not read Sacks before and was laid up in the Peninsula hospital in Burlingame. This book was lingering on the shelf at home and I had my wife bring it to me. Soon the beige walls and IV tubes dissapeared and I was fighting the humidity of the tropical south pacific. This book reads like a travelogue, a report on achromatopsia (congenital colorblindness), the lytico-bodig (an alzheimers/parkinsons like condition), and the fern-like batonical oddity of cycad trees, among other things. The description of the ruins of Nan Madol was awesome. Where one reviewer found this literary style to be 'rambling,' I found it to be deliciously lazy and ambling. Sacks employs the device of digression with a pace that sort of stones you. Maybe this motif was influenced by the kava Sacks took on Pohnpei.In any event, the book opens by delving into the congenital malady of acute colorblindness known as achromatopsia. Sacks learns of a little micronesian island with a large population of sufferers and follows his nose there with a couple of buddies, one of who is himself achromatopic. Soon we are on a small plane island hoping our way to the tiny atoll called Pingelap. You can virtually feel the tropical breeze reaching up your shorts. The description of achromatopsia is excellent. One almost imagines oneself as colorblind, seeing the world in a new perspective. Indeed, the light sensitive achromatopics here are often employed as night fishermen due to the advantage of their sensitive night vision, to catch flying fish in the phosphorescent waters of the warm Pacific. Sacks' attitude toward pathology is most admirable. He truly sees the afflicted as no more or less than whole people with differences, not partial or disfunctional people that are not normal. All of the afflicted in this book are examined respectfully and equitably as functional, whole, living organisms instead of sick and inferior. Geniune pathos appears where warranted but never condescendingly. Next we're off to the volcanic island of Pohnpei and the megalithic ruins that remind us these islands "were once the seat of monumental civilizations." More achromatopics are encountered here, along with the acculturational clash between these Pacific island cultures, a collection of population bottlenecks colonized by Southeastern Asians, and Europeans. We visit the rainforest and encounter delicate, endemic, flourescent ferns, and forests of sakau, the local psychopharmacological substance of choice. Then it's off to Guam to study the neurological disorder called the lytico-bodig of mysterious etiology. The island practice of consuming the toxic seeds of local cycad trees is supected as a cause of this condition, but it is unclear if it's caused by the eating of paste made from cycad tree seeds or is genetic in origin, as it seems to run in families. Sacks reaches into his experience with encephalitis induced coma patients and L-DOPA treatment in exploring the lytico-bodig. We also meet up with the ecological tsunami of the brown, tree-climbing snake which has consumed all the birds on Guam. The last island is Guam's small neighbor Rota, where islanders take Sacks into the jungle in search of cycads, where we also find the leafless Psilotum nudum, whose ancestor was "the first plants to develope a vascular system, to free themselves from the need to live in water." Also visited are giant land crabs with claws powerful enough to open coconuts. Maybe it's because I was trapped in a hospital, but I thoroughly enjoyed this travelogue, investigative science, and wistful reminiscence of the biological and cultural underpinnings that have brought us to this place in the present.
Rating:
Summary: This inspired book speaks to the intellect and the soul.
Review: I was transformed and transported by this book. As a physician, I was caught up totally and completely in the medical Sherlock Holmesian "whodunnit" quest for scientific answers. As a human being residing for a time on planet earth, I was immersed in the beauty and the mystery of places that seem almost fairy-like and magical through the keenly observant eyes of Dr. Sacks. As a soul flickering briefly on that continuum of deep time, I felt a profound sense of awe and existential brevity, but also a sense of connectedness and immortality. Having just finished the book today, I am aware of a sadness within me, a sadness that my journey to the South Pacific with Dr. Sacks has ended. I return to my clinic tomorrow morning to see patients, but my heart for some days to come will be on Pingelap, or Guam, or.......
Rating:
Summary: Diffuse; boring; disappointing to a Sacks fan.
Review: I've been a big fan of Sacks since _Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat,_ and have often reread that, his best book. This book, however, is dull and lame. No surprise to learn that Sacks' vacations are pleasant for him -- less surprise to learn they're tedious for us. Illustrated history of cycads -- bah. In a rare dilletantish mood, Sacks rambles around Micronesia shaking hands and looking at vegetation. Absent are the usual meticulous studies of the human mind; the passion is diluted by a rambling, shambling pseudostructure of historical fragments, slogging through ruins, and hanging out with old chums. Then... there are 100 pp of notes about an already tiresome text! Any writer is entitled to a mistake--I will buy Sacks' next book. This one, however, is going into my storage bin.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Sacks' best, but inspiring & enjoyable
Review: In between visiting terminally ill patients, Dr. Sacks goes snorkeling and hiking through tropical rainforests in the Micronesian islands, sharing his thoughts and experiences with his readers.
About one quarter of the book is footnotes.
I enjoyed "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" a lot more.
(If English isn't your mother tongue or if you're not a college graduate I suggest you have a good dictionary nearby as you read. It also helps to look up some of the diseases he talks about at Yahoo! Health. Also look for images of the flora he discusses at Google Image Search.)
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Summary: A Sense Of Wonder
Review: Oliver Sacks is able to convey his sense of wonder about the compexities of nature in such a way as to pass that wonderment and curiosity to the reader. In "Island of the Colorblind" he reveals the potential strangeness and uniqueness of life on islands. He describes how islands, by their very nature, isolate life-forms which develop unique strains of animals or plants. Islands are protected from the forces occuring on large land masses and species adapt in their own way. The Pacific atoll of Pineglap, unknown to me before, is inhabited by islanders born totally colorblind. Guam is inhabited by an inordinate number of people with the neurodegenerative disease, ALS. Merely being aware of these mysteries reinforces the feeling of humility in the midst of natural forces we feel so inadequate to fully understand. If you want to be reminded of the curiosity and sense of wonder you had as a child, savor Oliver Sack's work.
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Summary: Oliver Sacks takes you through the lives of the colorblind.
Review: Oliver Sacks takes all those with an interest in science on a journey to the Island of The Colorblind. A neurologist that has both an extensive medical knowledge and a special respect for his patients, uses specific examples, imagery, and particular diction to express that everyone is unique and has their own distinct qualities that make them special, no matter how they are disabled. In his journey through the islands, Dr. Sacks discovers that being colorblind can bring out other capabilities and adaptations to everyday life. The journey begins with Dr. Sacks on his way to the island of Pingelap, one of the many small islands located in the Pacific. To familiarize the reader to the subject of which he is studying, the achromatope condition, and show his fascination for the inevitable disability, Oliver Sacks tells of past findings of colorblind colonies and other isolated conditions. He provides several allusions to Darwin, Conan Doyle, and other explorers. All this is done while "island hopping" and provides an experience of making a voyage for the reader. Once on the island, many ecstatic islanders greet Dr. Sacks, and with them they bring their intricate culture. While Oliver Sacks experiences the island, he conducts studies and is fascinated by how well the achromatopes have adapted their culture and lifestyle to being colorblind. After offering medical assistance to the people of the island, he then moves on to Pohnpei, a larger island just West of Pingelap. It is here that Dr. Sacks discovers the rich heritage of the island. He also studies the lifestyles of the islanders and runs several tests, eventually distributing visors and special sunglasses, similar to his work on Pingelap. The last two sections of the book are not related to the first two and contribute only little to the overall purpose and message, mollifying the respect the reader had for the achromatopes. Dr. Sacks provides a vivid account of his journey and medical finding through specific examples. Whether it's a flashback or a fishing trip on Pingelap, examples are used to vitalize the island experience and create a respect for the islanders and their condition. In one of Oliver Sacks' experiences, he discovers that being an achromatope can be advantageous. By removing color, objects can be seen in greater detail, viewing every crack, curve, and texture. The appearance of movement may also be enhanced. "...They seem to be able to see the fish in their dim course underwater, the glint of moonlight on their outstretched fins as they leap, as well as, or perhaps better than, anyone else." In the particular example, fishing is made easier and may be done at night due to the colorblindness of the islanders. Ironically, the islands themselves are very colorful. But achromatopes do not respect the island for its color. In another instance, the island of Pingelap is only seen, by the colorblind, for it's beauty. To us, "color-normals," it seems rather meaningless, a jumble of a single color. The reader is also introduced and familiarized with several specific people of the islands. "Apart from the social problems it causes, Entis does not feel his colorblindness a disability." Specific examples are important in the development of sympathy and respect for the achromatopes and in taking the reader on the same journey that Oliver Sacks experienced. Imagery creates a vivid description of each encounter experienced by Dr. Sacks. This does anything but mitigate the reader; in contrast, the audience becomes more involved and therefore has a greater respect for each of the achromatopes of the islands. It is seen through Oliver Sacks' descriptions, that each individual is a special person in his or her own way. "While our equipment was loaded onto an improvised trolley - an unstable contraption of roughhewn planks on trembling bicycle wheels..." As Dr. Sacks shares his first experience with the people of Pingelap, he expresses through vivid imagery the unimportance of technology and the simplicity of the natives to the island. This helps to alleviate the misconcieved attitudes towards all the properties we hold dear, wealth and prosperity. Imagery also develops each example Oliver Sacks uses to take his audience on his excursion through the islands. For example, after fishing at night, Sacks describes and concludes the experience with glowing detail. "The sand itself, broader with the tide's retreat, was still wet with the phosphorescent sea, and now, as we walked upon it, our footsteps left a luminous spoor." Also, in the book of Guam, Sacks uses imagery, though his focus is not as much on his message of sympathy and respect for these who are achromatopes, he shares his experience well. "Clouds of tiny iridescent blue zebra fish swam around me, between my arms, between my legs, unstartled by my, movements" Here, Sacks is sharing his snorkeling adventure. Being a neurologist and an explorer/researcher, Dr. Oliver Sacks Iluminates himself through many medical terms and with professor like phrases that help create his tone for sharing his experiences of the islands. This diction used by Sacks can be seen through several examples from the text. His word choice, defined as scholarly, emphasizes a doctor like tone of voice. In most instances, Sacks uses medical terms to asseverate himself. "...He has difficulty fixating, hence his eyes make groping, hystagmic jerks." Diction can help the reader create a more focused and in depth thought or idea. This is used to develop respect and empathy for the patients and whose lives are effected by colorblindness through the author's journey to the islands. Specific examples, imagery, and diction coincide with one another to take the reader on a vivid jaunt through the Island of the Colorblind. This gives birth to a certain respect for the unique and indeed special islanders. It also teaches the audience to appreciate people for who they are and not for their incapability's. For many things "cannot be seen by color-normals," but only by the colorblind.
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Summary: A book of beauty
Review: Oliver Sacks' writing is very evocative. It combines the scientific and the artistic. The book was possible because that essential element of science was there - curiosity. At the same time there is adventure and romance. Sacks also brings out the fact good physicians are necessarily good humans, and have interests outside medicine. The book has descriptions of people suffering from hereditary complete colour blindness and of the lytico-bodig (the Guam disease), which are clear and allow one to empathize. One need not be a doctor to understand them, just as one need not be a natural historian to understand cycads. In Guam Dr. Sacks visits John Steele, a man who left a brilliant academic career to be an "island GP." That men like Steele exist reaffirms one's faith in medicine. The book left me with the feeling that it was time for me to pack my bags and leave for some similar enlightening adventure.
Rating:
Summary: The best book I read in all of 1997!
Review: Sacks' subjects are always fascinating, but the writing sometimes is quirky or overly technical. I found this book a delight. Elegantly written, his observations on abnormal vs. normal behaviour make one want to reread. Even the footnotes are riveting, and I'm not a scientist. A treasure!
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Summary: Sakau effects mentioned are individually unique
Review: The book is a nicely done overview of the achromats of Pingelap, some of whom I have the pleasure of having as students at the College of Micronesia-FSM. As maintainer of the only sakau en Pohnpei market review web page, I feel compelled to note that in regards pages 88-89 sakau has differing effects on different people. This may be exactly because sakau only cuts off sensory input from the voluntary muscles. The loss of accustomed input likely has different effects on different minds, possibly somewhat akin to sensory deprivation tank experiences. The mind itself is not affected as the active ingredients, kavanoid proteins, are apparently too large to cross the blood brain barrier. - Dana Lee Ling, Palikir, Pohnpei, 1997
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