An Anthropologist on Mars

An Anthropologist on Mars

First edition cover
Author	Oliver Sacks
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Neurology, Psychology, Case studies
Publisher	Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date	1995
Media type	Print (hardcover and paperback)
Pages	328
ISBN	0-679-43785-1

An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales is a book by neurologist Oliver Sacks that was published in 1995. The book consists of seven case studies of individuals with neurological conditions that have profoundly affected their lives. Sacks explores the ways in which these individuals adapt to their conditions and how their experiences can provide insight into the workings of the human brain.

Overview

The title of the book, An Anthropologist on Mars, is derived from a comment made by one of Sacks' subjects, Temple Grandin, a woman with autism who described her experience of social interactions as akin to being "an anthropologist on Mars." The book is divided into seven chapters, each focusing on a different individual with a unique neurological condition.

Case Studies

1. The Case of the Colorblind Painter: This chapter tells the story of an artist who loses the ability to perceive color after a car accident, a condition known as cerebral achromatopsia.

2. The Last Hippie: This case study explores the life of a man who suffers from retrograde amnesia and anterograde amnesia due to a brain tumor, leaving him stuck in the 1960s.

3. A Surgeon's Life: This chapter profiles Dr. Carl Bennett, a surgeon with Tourette syndrome, and examines how his tics affect his professional and personal life.

4. To See and Not See: This story follows Virgil, a man who regains sight after being blind for 45 years, and the challenges he faces in adjusting to a world of visual stimuli.

5. The Landscape of His Dreams: This chapter discusses Franco Magnani, an artist who can vividly recall and paint scenes from his childhood village in Italy, despite not having seen it for decades.

6. Prodigies: This case study focuses on Stephen Wiltshire, an autistic savant with an extraordinary ability to draw detailed cityscapes from memory.

7. An Anthropologist on Mars: The final chapter centers on Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has become a prominent advocate for autism awareness and a successful designer of livestock handling facilities.

Themes

Sacks' work in An Anthropologist on Mars highlights the resilience and adaptability of the human brain. The book delves into themes of identity, perception, and the nature of reality, challenging readers to reconsider what is "normal" and how individuals with neurological differences navigate the world.

Reception

The book was well-received by critics and readers alike, praised for its compassionate and insightful portrayal of individuals with neurological conditions. Sacks' ability to blend scientific analysis with narrative storytelling has been lauded as a significant contribution to both literature and the field of neurology.

Also see

• Oliver Sacks
• The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
• Temple Grandin
• Neurology
• Autism
• Tourette syndrome

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WikiMD neurology

External links

• Comprehensive information from the National Institute of health.
  

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