Report Review: Oliver Sacks' 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat'

This report reviews Oliver Sacks' 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat', a collection of clinical tales exploring neurological conditions. The report begins with an introduction, providing the context of the book's publication in 1985 and the societal changes of the time. It then discusses the author, Oliver Sacks, a neurologist known for his engaging writing style and case studies. The background and perspective section outlines the book's structure, divided into sections like 'Losses' and 'Excesses', and its focus on the human brain. The methodology section highlights the qualitative research methods used, primarily interviews and observations, to gather patient data. The report describes the book's content, including the cases of Dr. P with visual agnosia and Jimmie G with Korsakov's Syndrome. It concludes by summarizing the book's impact and legacy, emphasizing its value for healthcare and neurological students, and its contribution to understanding the human mind.

Report review

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
The context of the book ..................................................................................................................1
The author .......................................................................................................................................2
The Background and Perspective ....................................................................................................2
Methodology and methods...............................................................................................................3
The book itself ...............................................................................................................................4
The Legacy of the Book ..................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
The current report review is based in the book of, “The Man Who Has Mistook His Wife for
a Hat and Other Clinical Tales” was in black and white by Oliver Sacks in 1985. This book
basically comprises of discussion about the case history of patients of Oliver Sacks which is
present in a very clear and systematic manner in current book. Beside this the book “The Man
Who Has Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales” was in black and white by Oliver
Sacks has been divided into twenty-four main essays which are further split into the four sections
i.e. "Losses", "Excesses", "Transports", and "The World of the Simple". Further, theses four
section seemed to deal with a particular aspect of the human brain function thus, it is an
important and vital book for heath and neurological students. Beside this, the method applied in
book “The Man Who Has Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales” was in black
and white by Oliver Sacks is based on qualitative method and includes use of interview from
patients for data collection.(Dana, D.A., 2018.) The structure of current report review comprises
of a discussion context of Book along with information about author. Further, background and
content of book is also included along with discussion about methodology used in the book.
The context of the book
The book “The Man Who Has Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales” was in
black and white by Oliver Sacks in 1985 during which the streets of London and ensure UK was
going through a considerable change. After the world war II is over the London and entire UK is
preparing for established industries, set up scenes and shops where ways of life wee being get
swept away. Further, the walls were also seen devisee political of the time visible as painted on
walls. Thus, a considerable amount of changes are going on in Political and social environment
of UK where scary one is among efforts for improved growth and industrial development. Thus,
at that time neurological disease and mental issues are commonly seen in human especially in the
one who were related with and facing the consequences of world War II. (Nocentini and
Supuran, 2019.)Beside this, many similar work like the “The Man Who Has Mistook His Wife
for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales” also seen which comprises of Christopher Rawlence wrote
the libretto for a chamber opera—directed by Michael Morris with music by Michael Nyman.
Beside this, the class novel written by Erich Segal and The Handmaid's Tale written by Margaret
Atwood were also get published during the year of 1985.
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The author
The author of the book “The Man Who Has Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical
Tales” was in black and white by Oliver Wolf Sacks who had been honoured with CBE FRCP
was born on 9 July 1933 and died in 30 August 2015. He was basically a neurologist, naturalist,
historian of science, and author. The Oliver Wolf Snacks was born in Britain, and the most of his
education was also completed out there and he spent most of his career in the United States.
Further, the Oliver Wolf Sacks were having a believed that the brain is the "most incredible thing
in the universe." Thus, he has also written many famous novels and books based on neurologist.
(Bakker, 2018) Therefore, very soon he became a widely known writer and famous for writing
numerous best-selling books and the mostly of his collections comprises of case studies of
people out of which many including himself and his parents with neurological disorders.
Musicophilia written by Oliver Sacks and An Anthropologist on Mars : Seven Paradoxical Tales
are also the some of the best written books of the Oliver Sacks.
The Background and Perspective
The book, “The Man Who Has Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales” was
written in the year of 1985 which was a book written by neurologist Oliver Sacks that aim and
focusing on describing the various case histories of the patients of Oliver. The writer Oliver
Sacks has chosen the title of the book from one of the case study of from his patients who has
visual agnosia and also included into chapters of this book which is presenting a neurological
condition in that he was leaves him unable to even recognize the faces and objects. This book of
Oliver Sacks comprises of twenty-four essays which are split into the four sections i.e. "Losses",
"Excesses", "Transports", and "The World of the Simple". Out of these four section each section
is seemed to deal with a particular aspect of the human brain function. Further, the first two
foremost sections of the book aim at discussing the deficits and excesses (with particular
emphasis on the right hemisphere of the brain (Gururajan,. and et. al., 2019.) on the other hand,
the third as well as the fourth sections focuses on describing phenomenological manifestations
with in accordance to the spontaneous and the reminiscences along with the altered perceptions,
and reflecting the extraordinary qualities of mind which are used to found in people with any
form of intellectual disabilities. Oliver Sacks has been widely regarded as an excellent writer as
well as an excellent physician, the main reason and the fact behind which comprises of that
Oliver was that both of which has makes his writings especially which are the pleasant for
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medical students. Under the current book, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other
Clinical Tales The Dr. Sacks has presented information about his patients with a kind of
reverence not often seen in clinical writing in a most attractive and systematic manner thus, the
content of this book was refreshing to read who are used to read medically interesting stories
which are written by Oliver who is having the wonder and mystery of it all.
Methodology and methods
The methodology or method basically present the techniques and ways applied by a
researcher for collecting data and facts to write a novel or any other work. With respect to
current book, “The Man Who Has Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales” was in
black and white by Oliver Sacks the applied methodology was based in qualitative method of
research where data has been collected by the ways of Interview and observation. An analysis
can be made out that the current book of Oliver Sacks is based on the experience and history of
his patients which comprises of use of interview techniques to collect data from them abut their
heath issues and implication (Hu, and Willett,)An interview basically reflects and comprises of a
two way of communication where one person also questions and other replies for the same.
Thus, use of interview as research method has provided the most efficient and effective way
for Oliver Snack to collect information and data from its patients which is properly and
systematically present in his book, “The Man Who Has Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other
Clinical Tales”. The use of interview facilitates an in-depth information about the experience and
actual feelings and thoughts of the patients that has main data collection more factual and
detailed to present true conditions. The main pros and advantage of application of interview
method comprises of ensuring high level of flexibility as the questions asked can be changed
according to the situation. Beside this, implication of interview of method also associated a better
response for Oliver from his patients along with effectively judging and providing knowledge
about the non-verbal behaviour and experience of patients. Therefore, an analysis can be made
out that use of interview has facilitated a detailed and in-depth information for Oliver Sacks to
write his novel for effective and in detailed manner. (Pearson, J., 2019.)The cons related with the
use of interview method of research comprises of fact that it is more time consuming in nature
and might lead to interview fatigue in researcher. An analysis can be made out that interview
facilitates an effective communication and interaction with respondents therefore ensures
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improved data collection but at the same time it is more time consuming and complex method of
data collection.
The book itself
Under this current book, the author describe the human brain condition in his own
imagination. The main aim of neurologist Oliver Sacks was to explain is patients neurological
conditions in his book in different way. The book is comprises in twenty-four essays which are
split into the four sections that is “Losses”, Excesses”, “Transports”, and “The world of the
simple”. These four sections deals with particular aspect of the human brain functions. (Evers,
2017) He has applied methodology which is based in qualitative method of research and data
has been collected with help of observation and interviews. The first and second half sections of
the book focus on the discussion of the deficits and excesses with a particular focus on the right
side hemisphere of the human brain. On the side, the third and fourth sections aims on describing
with in accordance to the spontaneous and the reminiscences along with the altered perceptions,
and reflecting the extraordinary qualities of mind which are used to found in people with any
form of intellectual disabilities, Oliver sacks had patient and Dr. P was also his friend and he
suffered from the condition of visual agnosia and he was unable to recognize the faces and
objects. Sacks understood its really hard for him to identify people faces even objects, after
visiting him Sacks knew it that he was suffering from face blindness. Patient was a singer and
music teacher, he develop the strange condition during his teaching time he was not able to
recognize face of his student but he instead recognized him from their voices. Sacks tried
different techniques to check if he can identify things like pictures and all. Patient was looking at
Oliver Sacks in a unordinary way and he failed to identify basic pictures. The most weird part
was Dr. P walked over to his wife in order of being tired of picking up her head and even he had
mistaken his wife's head for his own hat. The writer Oliver Sacks has chosen the title of the book
after studying the is patient conditions. (Tyler , Zaldivar-Diez, and Haggarty, , 2017.). The
second section of the book, Dr Sacks recalls one his patient Jimmie G who fought in World War
2, his patient was admitted in elderly home, he remembered his patient was friendly and eager to
cooperate with him, he knew his name, birthday and home town and he was able to tell Sacks
about his early life, including when he was serving in the World War 2 but his memories ended
in 1950s, he had memories issues. Sacks proceeded a test on him by asking him to see his own
face on the mirror in seconds he got distressed and scared, he thought that he had nightmare and
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seemed to have no memories but immediately he remembered Sacks as a doctor. Jimmie G was
another patient who was suffered from Korsakov's Syndrome related with issue in nervous
system.(Miracchi, L., 2019.) Dr. Sacks wondered that what could have caused his mental
impairment because of alcohol consumptions or it can a cerebal tumour. Sacks run various test
on him to find out what so unusual about his brain but they couldn't find anything. His previous
reports confirm that he had brain disease. Dr. Sacks wanted him to support with emotional and
mental well being even he advised him that Mr. G should meet people to keep some connections
with others and catholic mass, so it can help him to live normally. The third section is about six
senses that Neurologist have found have six sense. (Porges and Dana, 2018. )The six sense is
termed as proprioception that ability to feel is own body. Christina is twenty-seven year old
woman and worked as a computer programmer but she was hospitalized to remove her
gallbladder, Christina was really stressed about her surgery even she had nightmare that she
couldn't stop her body from flailing around. The doctor adsorbed that she is so nervous about her
surgery even she reported that anxiety that she can't feel her body. They founded that Christina
has lost her proprioception, she couldn't feel her muscles or joints that she can't feel her body but
she can use her five sense. Dr sacks and other mates helped her to build her confidence to walk
again and to use her vocal organs. The fourth section is about a patient he met in his medical
field, the patient described that going to the hospital for tests. Neurologists told him that he had
lazy left leg. The patient woke up with severed leg in his bed. He thought its nasty joke on him,
the patient used to thrown his leg out of the bed. Later he realized that his left leg his attached to
his body. (Koehly and et. al., 2021.)Dr Sacks discussed some similar case of disembodied leg.
He told Sacks that his left leg isn't real leg. This is one section is shortest story in this report
where he is not clarify about his patient attempts to cope with their neurological disorder.
The Legacy of the Book
The book, “Oliver Sacks has left behind a powerful The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a
Hat and Other Clinical Tales” was written by legacy as it is one of the fame book which provides
deep understanding about the neurological disorders. The fame of the book seemed to be
continued as soon the book has become a film which comprises of working with the encephalitis
of the patients along with the discovery of L-dopa treatments. The book is considered as very
informative and useful for neurological students as it leads to incredible and many significant
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findings in the field and subject matter of neuroscience that creates its legacy by inspiring many
other neuroscientists students to effectively continue researching and discovering.
CONCLUSION
From the above reading the context explain about the most famous book of Oliver sack
that his The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat and Other Clinical Tales. Oliver Sacks has
humourers best selling books and novels he believes that his brain has been taken as the most
incredible and vital thing in the universe, has written many books based on neurologist. He
named his book from one of the case study of from his patient. The book, The Man Who
Mistook His Wife For A Hat and Other Clinical Tales has divided into twenty-four short essays
which have four different parts “Losses”,“Excesses”, “Transports”, and “The World of the
Simple”. These four section describe the various conditions of neurological disorders of a human
condition this books written after observing and taking interviews of their patients and doing a
case studies about the neurological disorder that deals with nervous system. The content of this
report is the case study in a most attractive and systematic manner, the content of this book is
interesting for the medical students because the four sections of this book is very mystery and
wondering. He even try to understand his patient mental condition and how can the help
themselves.
REFERENCES
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Books and journal
Dana, D.A., 2018. The Polyvagal theory in therapy: engaging the rhythm of regulation (Norton
series on interpersonal neurobiology). WW Norton & Company.
Nocentini, A. and Supuran, C.T., 2019. Advances in the structural annotation of human carbonic
anhydrases and impact on future drug discovery. Expert opinion on drug
discovery, 14(11), pp.1175-1197.
Bakker, A., 2018. Design research in education: A practical guide for early career researchers.
Routledge.
Gururajan, A. and et. al., 2019. The future of rodent models in depression research. Nature
Reviews Neuroscience, 20(11), pp.686-701.
Hu, F.B. and Willett, W.C., 2018. Current and future landscape of nutritional epidemiologic
research. Jama, 320(20), pp.2073-2074.
Evers, K., 2017. The contribution of neuroethics to international brain research
initiatives. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 18(1), pp.1-2.
Pearson, J., 2019. The human imagination: the cognitive neuroscience of visual mental
imagery. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 20(10), pp.624-634.
Tyler, M.W., Zaldivar-Diez, J. and Haggarty, S.J., 2017. Classics in chemical neuroscience:
haloperidol. ACS chemical neuroscience, 8(3), pp.444-453.
Miracchi, L., 2019. A competence framework for artificial intelligence research. Philosophical
Psychology, 32(5), pp.588-633.
Porges, S.W. and Dana, D., 2018. Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence
of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology). WW
Norton & Company.
Koehly, L.M. and et. al., 2021. Social and behavioral science at the forefront of genomics:
discovery, translation, and health equity.
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