T.Elise@bookwyrm.social reviewed Migraine by Oliver Sacks
None
4 stars
This is not a book for someone with a surface level or current-treatment interest of migraine, nor someone who only wants to read chapter length narrative form case studies. This book is undoubtedly now outdated, but is nevertheless brilliant. Some aspects of what sacks writes are timeless - insights to the person, early descriptions of migraine aura - but others, as with all evidence based treatment guides, need to be updated and viewed within its historical context. If you don’t wish to subsequently read extensively on current understandings of migraine, or were just hoping for a migraine self help book, then this is perhaps one to skip. Otherwise read ahead and enjoy. It is a denser book compared to others of Sacks’ style (think An anthropologist on mars / man who mistook his wife for a hat / musicophilia).
As always, Sacks is a beautiful writer.