How could I not be interested in the work of Oliver Sacks? It’s not just the one about the anthropologist on Mars (though I have that). Sacks explored the human condition in a multitude of cases where the humans in question were grappling with many rare and unusual conditions. What is life? What is humanity? What is perception and consciousness? These were some of the questions he touched on in an engaging writing style that I always enjoyed.
Although his work was very much non-fiction, he inspired fiction in the form of plays and films — further validating the notion that science and the arts are not so dissimilar as partisans in both disciplines would have you believe.
Sadly, Oliver Sacks passed away yesterday at the age of 82. He knew his time was ending and remained as insightful and philosophical upon his own impending departure as he had been in looking at the struggles and humanity of his subjects.
Still, at times such as these, you don’t want to say goodbye — or at least you want to remember more.
For that reason, I’m happy Adrienne LaFrance over at The Atlantic has assembled The Oliver Sacks Reading List. (http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/08/the-oliver-sacks-reading-list/401993/)
I can’t say I’ve read or seen all of these pieces, but then, that’s a big part of my delight. I’ll be enjoying reading and watching them over the coming months. And I expect the ideas generated will be ones I’ll be pondering and writing about for years.
RIP, Oliver Sacks.