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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Neurologist Oliver Sacks explored the minds of outcasts, and was an outcast himself

    Oliver Sacks studied unusual neurological disorders, and was known for humanizing patients in his scientific methods and in his writing. He wrote about autism, deafness, color blindness, Tourette’s, and inexplicable conditions.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Nov 22, 2019 • 1 min read

    Oliver Sacks studied unusual neurological disorders, and was known for humanizing patients in his scientific methods and in his writing. He wrote about autism, deafness, color blindness, Tourette’s, and inexplicable conditions. The New York Times once called him the "poet laureate of contemporary medicine."

    But he had a tumultuous childhood, struggled early in his career, and was largely ignored by the medical establishment. Writer Lawrence Weschler was friends with Sacks for more than 30 years. He has a new book called “And How Are You, Dr. Sacks? A Biographical Memoir of Oliver Sacks.”

    The full episode

    3 of 4
    What’s next in impeachment?
    1. 0:00After 2 weeks of impeachment hearings, what’s next?
    2. 10:00How prestige TV prepared us for the days-long drama of impeachment
    3. 19:47Neurologist Oliver Sacks explored the minds of outcasts, and was an outcast himselfYou’re reading this
    4. 35:42Tom Hanks nails it as Mr. Rogers
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sarah Sweeney

      Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michell Eloy

      Former Producer/Line Editor, Press Play

    • KCRW placeholder

      Alexandra Sif Tryggvadottir

      Associate producer

    • KCRW placeholder

      Lawrence Weschler

      author

      NewsBooks

    The full episode

    3 of 4
    What’s next in impeachment?
    1. 0:00After 2 weeks of impeachment hearings, what’s next?
    2. 10:00How prestige TV prepared us for the days-long drama of impeachment
    3. 19:47Neurologist Oliver Sacks explored the minds of outcasts, and was an outcast himselfYou’re reading this
    4. 35:42Tom Hanks nails it as Mr. Rogers
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand