Dr. Oliver Sacks has had to face so much adversity in his
life, which can be relatable to a lot of people. He was mercilessly disgraced
for coming out as a homosexual to his Jewish family and then was diagnosed with
a rare form of melanoma in his eye, leaving him blind in one eye. He starts the
book with saying “I am now face to face with dying, but I am not finished with
living.” This grabbed my attention immediately. He started the book in at age
80 and says he life is only about to begin. He needs to complete his life and
how he is talking is really inspiring for an 80 year old man. “I don’t think of
old age as an ever grimmer time that one must somehow endure and make the best
of, but as a time of leisure and freedom” (Sacks 11). He then goes in to the “my life” chapter where
he talks about exactly that. He talks about in his last few months of life, he
had to decide if he wants to live life to the fullest (as well as he could) or
sulk. He chooses to live it up but he does say that he is fearful for what is
to come but his main feeling was gratitude, he is happy about the life he has
lived and his experiences. He is a refreshing joy to read because he is extremely eloquent.
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