“Many people think that hallucinations happen only to ‘crazy’ people. Wrong, of course. They happen to people who are suffering from sensory deprivation (this is what a ‘vision quest’ is). They happen to people who are ill, or injured, or having migraine headaches. They happen to those who are intoxicated. They happen when certain drugs are ingested. They often happen for no reason at all, to perfectly normal and healthy people . . . Because he is one of the world’s most curious people, Dr. Sacks’ new book covers a lot of ground. There are chapters that deal with visual hallucinations of blind people as well as various sorts of hallucinations by epileptics and narcoleptics. Discussions of people who have ‘left their own body’ and people who ‘hear voices.’ So much more! This book tells us about the organization and structure of our brains, how hallucinations have influenced every culture’s folklore and art and religion, and why the potential for hallucination is present in us all. And BONUS: most of the footnotes are little works of art. I love this book . . . “—Broadway Books, Portland.
Read more and buy Hallucinations; Skulls: An Exploration of Alan Dudley’s Curious Collection; David Douglas, a Naturalist at Work: An Illustrated Exploration Across Two Centuries in the Pacific Northwest and Mad Science: Einstein’s Fridge, Dewar’s Flask, Mach’s Speed, and 362 Other Inventions and Discoveries that Made Our World from Broadway Books.
Each day until Christmas, the tireless staff at Broadway Books will post a recommendation for a great gift book on the store’s blog, Bookbroads. 24 Days of Books posts are written by Sally McPherson, Roberta Dyer and Kate Bennison.
