Rating: 
Summary: Sacks Succeds in his Childhood Reflections.
Review: If you were one of those students who dreaded science in school, then Oliver Sacks' memoir, Uncle Tungsten, is still for you. The subtitle, Memories of a Chemical Boyhood, brings us Sacks' boyhood obsession with the world of chemistry. The distinguished neurologist brought us Awakenings (you may remember an extraordinary performance by Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams in the movie) and The Island of the Colorblind.
In his new effort the author nimbly tosses scientific jargon such as iridium, pitchblend, and valency that have right-brain users like me take deep breaths. At times one prays the sentences will become lucid soon. However, Sacks infectious voice carries one throughout the book. The author will have you getting excited about chemistry and its wonders.
Sacks genuine giddiness is palpable. The book begins, "Many of my childhood memories are of metals: these seemed to exert a power on me from the start." Sacks befriended his Uncle Dave, better known as Uncle Tungsten, with a barrage of questions. The uncle was well versed to tackle the youth's insatiable curiosity. Sacks says, "We called him Uncle Tungsten for as long as I could remember, because he manufactured lightbulbs with filaments of fine tungsten wire."
The book is chock-full of chemical experiments Sacks imitates. While some boys may delight in the adventures of Superman or some other comic hero; Sacks recalls his passionate interest in the discoveries of scientists such as Dmitry Mendeleev, Madame Curie, and Humphry Davy. Again, at times the chemistry jargon may put stress on the brain of a layman, but the read is worthwhile despite the minor headache here and there.
The reader is also exposed to what life was like for England during WWII. Sacks' tribulation in boarding school is an interesting read. The perspective is from a senior Sacks reflecting on the most difficult part of his formative years.
In short, Sacks' writing brilliantly showcases youth's exuberance, insights, and sadness...but most importantly, the precocious Sacks is a remainder of the beautiful reveries we have as children, and if we are fortunate, carry over into adulthood like Sacks and his scientific heroes have.
Rating:
Summary: Sacks has Chemistry
Review: If you would like to know more about the childhood of the gentle soul who wrote "Awakenings," or the caring physician who wrote "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat", then this book will not disappoint. I would also highly recommend this book to youth who would like to learn a lot more about chemistry in a form rich in images and history and devoid of any formulas, equations, or end of chapter homework questions. Oliver Sacks provides a fascinating glimpse into a life and time far removed from our own "warning label" oriented society. While many have written about their war-time childhood in and around London, few can write with Sack's humor and grace. Fewer still can claim such a science/service oriented family. The title, "Uncle Tungsten" first jumped out at me because I named my own child after the elements: Molybdenum (Molly) and plan to name the one on the way Wolfram - also known as the element Tungsten. Together with my wife, they are the light of my life. However, Sacks offers the reader far more than a delightful set of his own characters. He provides a broad history of chemistry. This history picks up at the tail end of alchemy and advances in modest detail through to the beginnings of the nuclear and quantum age. As with Sack's prior non-fiction, one need not feel intimidated by the science. He focuses as much on biography as he does on his love for chemistry. With only a vague recollection of high school chemistry, I had no trouble following his threads. While generally mild mannered, Sacks does offer several surprises. Without spoiling his work, these include noting the availability of some rather extraordinarily toxic chemicals over the counter - sold even to children (should they care to ask), the tragic, traumatic, and gory death of a beloved aunt, as well as his introduction to dissection and human anatomy via the corpse of a fourteen year old girl, a girl his own age. It's a fun, touching, and interesting read.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful science memoir!
Review: Imagine yourself as a gifted youth born to an educated and supportive Jewish family living in WW II England where you are introduced to the fascination of discovery very early in life, exposed to the fearful suppression of twisted adults and the terror of war, and attempting to develop a personal worldview from family philosophies that ranged from confirmed Zionism through orthodox philosophies to more moderate conservative views. If you will stretch your imagination this far, then you will have a sense of one facet of neurologist Sacks's autobiographical Uncle Tungsten. Named after his Uncle Dave who manufactured tungsten light filaments and introduced the author to the fascinating world of metals, the book goes further than the usual autobiography. Containing many very informative footnotes, it smoothly digresses into beautifully written histories of chemistry and physics with marvelous examples taken from Sacks's sometimes-dangerous personal explorations as a child and young man. Written by one of the best writers of nonfiction alive today, the book gives a view of the science of chemistry that is denied most young people today in the interests of safety, if nothing else. Highly recommended; should be required reading for every aspiring young scientist. All levels.
Rating:
Summary: Oh, to take a chemistry class again!
Review: In high school I was fascinated by the physical sciences. In college and graduate school I studied mostly theology and philosophy, which later got me interested in psychology and then a bit of neurology. This is how I came to discover Oliver Sacks and eventually, Uncle Tungsten. Uncle Tungsten is composed of equal parts biography and history of modern chemistry. Those who are interested in neither of these subjects are advised to go read something else. On the other hand, those who (like me) are interested in both the history of chemistry and the life and work of Oliver Sacks should be fascinated by this book.
Far from being a dull, monotonous tome which blandly recalls the history of chemistry from its alchemical origins through modern theory, Uncle Tungsten is masterfully interwoven with personal details and historical anecdotes that make it a truly enjoyable read. Sacks also treats the reader to a discussion of various other side subjects, including a brief history of modern lighting, and Jewish social life in both pre and post-WWII Britain. Want to know why a platinum loop can set natural gas on fire, or how to make a red rose turn white, and then red again? Read the book. Want to know how and when the various elements in the periodic table were discovered? Read the book. Want something informative but not too heady to read on your next vacation? Read the book!
Rating: 
Summary: the love time can't diminish
Review: It is always a joy to read Dr. Sacks. He is a sensitive, honest, and caring author. His other books (with the exception of "A Leg to Stand On") are all reports of his interactions with people exceptional neurological conditions. In "Uncle Tungsten," Dr. Sacks writes about his own past. Sacks is a truly gifted writer. Some of his pieces in the past have stunned me with their beauty. That said, he has never created a fuller, more compelling portrait than the depiction he gives of his mother here. What a special woman she must have been. He clearly loves her still. This book is as much of a love story as it is a history. Sack's recollections are laced through with his early encounters with science in its many forms. He speaks lovingly of his interactions with Chemistry. The education his mother provided him in anatomy also looms large in the images of his early years. While I have always been a fan of Sacks because of his insights into the human condition, I can see the special appeal this book would have to those who have a love for science (my wife loves biology). Sacks writes of it with passion and awe. It was interesting for me, and I've never been much of a fan of science. I recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: living the fun parts of chemistry
Review: It's not all fun, but Sacks' education, encouraged by his relatives--including the uncle whose nickname provided the title---replicated the history of chemistry. The uncle made light bulbs. Today he'd just own the company, but as it happened, he loved everything about working with tungsten, about making light bulbs. And he passed the love of metals, and the rest of the elements to his nephew. I was briefly a chemistry major, just because the story of the exploration of the natural world was so compelling. And it was absolutely delightful to experience that story again, through the eyes of young Oliver. Would you still love the book if you hated everything about science? You might. You might see what other people thought the fuss was about, if not share in it vicariously.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Autobio by Eminent Scientist & Graceful Writer
Review: Most enjoyably readable book of past year, at least!
Rating: 
Summary: Don't read, please.
Review: Oliver Sacks was gifted by his parents with the greatest boon any child could receive. From the start, he writes, he was "encouraged to interrogate, to investigate". With this mandate, he spent his childhood interrogating the history of science and scientists. He investigated the nature of chemicals, learned magnetism and electricity, and, in preparation for his anticipated medical career, probed into the mysteries of the body. This exquisite and frank account traces Sacks' boyhood in London - with side pauses to the schools attended - exposing his fears and ambitions with equal fervour. Sacks' quest for knowledge mainly focussed on chemical elements and compounds, with metals dominating his attention. "Uncle Tungsten" [his uncle Dave] owned a lamp factory and provided both advice and materials. Sacks drew heavily on his expertise, but Dave often left him to experiment on his own. With a highly inquisitive mind and a drive to learn, Oliver often duplicated the research performed by notable figures of science to achieve the same ends. This technique provided great insight into the scientific method, allowing him to manufacture chemicals that might have been purchased at a nearby shop. He learns the scientists' techniques through the blizzard of printed paper he plowed through during those years. Biographies, autobiographies, published journals and notebooks, all were his reading fare throughout his boyhood. He reminds us of the hazards of research from the burned hands and faces from potassium to the still-radioactive notebooks of Marie Curie, today stored in lead boxes. Setting up a laboratory in a back room of the family home, he followed their reasoning, their sense of discovery, and their techniques as he made bangs, smells, brilliant lights and beautiful crystals. His biological endeavours were often less successful. He and his chums once drove the inhabitants of a house away for months until the noxious odour of rotting cuttlefish could be exorcised. Although Sacks introduces a wealth of scientific information from a broad sweep of sources, there is not a dull page in this book. He describes the techniques to isolate elements in vivid detail, and you find yourself sharing the researcher's frustration to achieve the goal along with the exhilaration when success is achieved. You follow Sacks willingly as he plods through the museums and into shops buying chemicals. Mostly, you watch him as he begs Uncle Dave for materials or sits spellbound as "Uncle Tungsten" describes the properties of metals. Sacks' joys at "re-learning" what others have done is infectious - he leaves you longing to repeat the experiments for yourself - only to learn, of course, that today's caution has sequestered the materials away to prevent you blundering into harm. That's a sad testimony, but Sacks' journey through time and place remains for us to gain some sense of what it must be like to undertake scientific adventures. Every schoolchild should be in possession of this book as parents encourage them to "investigate and interrogate". [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating:
Summary: A passion for discovery
Review: Oliver Sacks was gifted by his parents with the greatest boon any child could receive. From the start, he writes, he was "encouraged to interrogate, to investigate". With this mandate, he spent his childhood interrogating the history of science and scientists. He investigated the nature of chemicals, learned magnetism and electricity, and, in preparation for his anticipated medical career, probed into the mysteries of the body. This exquisite and frank account traces Sacks' boyhood in London - with side pauses to the schools attended - exposing his fears and ambitions with equal fervour. Sacks' quest for knowledge mainly focussed on chemical elements and compounds, with metals dominating his attention. "Uncle Tungsten" [his uncle Dave] owned a lamp factory and provided both advice and materials. Sacks drew heavily on his expertise, but Dave often left him to experiment on his own. With a highly inquisitive mind and a drive to learn, Oliver often duplicated the research performed by notable figures of science to achieve the same ends. This technique provided great insight into the scientific method, allowing him to manufacture chemicals that might have been purchased at a nearby shop. He learns the scientists' techniques through the blizzard of printed paper he plowed through during those years. Biographies, autobiographies, published journals and notebooks, all were his reading fare throughout his boyhood. He reminds us of the hazards of research from the burned hands and faces from potassium to the still-radioactive notebooks of Marie Curie, today stored in lead boxes. Setting up a laboratory in a back room of the family home, he followed their reasoning, their sense of discovery, and their techniques as he made bangs, smells, brilliant lights and beautiful crystals. His biological endeavours were often less successful. He and his chums once drove the inhabitants of a house away for months until the noxious odour of rotting cuttlefish could be exorcised. Although Sacks introduces a wealth of scientific information from a broad sweep of sources, there is not a dull page in this book. He describes the techniques to isolate elements in vivid detail, and you find yourself sharing the researcher's frustration to achieve the goal along with the exhilaration when success is achieved. You follow Sacks willingly as he plods through the museums and into shops buying chemicals. Mostly, you watch him as he begs Uncle Dave for materials or sits spellbound as "Uncle Tungsten" describes the properties of metals. Sacks' joys at "re-learning" what others have done is infectious - he leaves you longing to repeat the experiments for yourself - only to learn, of course, that today's caution has sequestered the materials away to prevent you blundering into harm. That's a sad testimony, but Sacks' journey through time and place remains for us to gain some sense of what it must be like to undertake scientific adventures. Every schoolchild should be in possession of this book as parents encourage them to "investigate and interrogate". [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating:
Summary: A passion for discovery
Review: Oliver Sacks was gifted by his parents with the greatest boon any child could receive. From the start, he writes, he was "encouraged to interrogate, to investigate". With this mandate, he spent his childhood interrogating the history of science and scientists. He investigated the nature of chemicals, learned magnetism and electricity, and, in preparation for his anticipated medical career, probed into the mysteries of the body. This exquisite and frank account traces Sacks' boyhood in London - with side pauses to the schools attended - exposing his fears and ambitions with equal fervour. Sacks' quest for knowledge mainly focussed on chemical elements and compounds, with metals dominating his attention. "Uncle Tungsten" [his uncle Dave] owned a lamp factory and provided both advice and materials. Sacks drew heavily on his expertise, but Dave often left him to experiment on his own. With a highly inquisitive mind and a drive to learn, Oliver often duplicated the research performed by notable figures of science to achieve the same ends. This technique provided great insight into the scientific method, allowing him to manufacture chemicals that might have been purchased at a nearby shop. He learns the scientists' techniques through the blizzard of printed paper he plowed through during those years. Biographies, autobiographies, published journals and notebooks, all were his reading fare throughout his boyhood. He reminds us of the hazards of research from the burned hands and faces from potassium to the still-radioactive notebooks of Marie Curie, today stored in lead boxes. Setting up a laboratory in a back room of the family home, he followed their reasoning, their sense of discovery, and their techniques as he made bangs, smells, brilliant lights and beautiful crystals. His biological endeavours were often less successful. He and his chums once drove the inhabitants of a house away for months until the noxious odour of rotting cuttlefish could be exorcised. Although Sacks introduces a wealth of scientific information from a broad sweep of sources, there is not a dull page in this book. He describes the techniques to isolate elements in vivid detail, and you find yourself sharing the researcher's frustration to achieve the goal along with the exhilaration when success is achieved. You follow Sacks willingly as he plods through the museums and into shops buying chemicals. Mostly, you watch him as he begs Uncle Dave for materials or sits spellbound as "Uncle Tungsten" describes the properties of metals. Sacks' joys at "re-learning" what others have done is infectious - he leaves you longing to repeat the experiments for yourself - only to learn, of course, that today's caution has sequestered the materials away to prevent you blundering into harm. That's a sad testimony, but Sacks' journey through time and place remains for us to gain some sense of what it must be like to undertake scientific adventures. Every schoolchild should be in possession of this book as parents encourage them to "investigate and interrogate". [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
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