Fascinating read on two levels, as a medical anthology of rare brain abnormalities and as literature verging on literary criticism.
Many of the cases are so strange that they are both hard to relate to and unforgettable. More than just documenting the illnesses, Dr Sacks brings the human suffering and occasional joy contained within to light. This probes the reader to ask what it means to be a person and reminded me of how lucky I am simply to be able to read and think for some period of time.
It is an old book so some of the mystery for some conditions has cleared since, with new treatments for others. Some medical language has moved on too, but this remains a remarkable work, bonus points if you know all of his literary references!