Uncle Tungsten : memories of a chemical boyhood

From Oliver Sacks, distinguished neurologist and master storyteller, comes a magical account of childhood, told with the charm and power of his celebrated case histories.

Not only is it a beautifully written account of an English childhood - seasoned by a childish passion for science - but it is told from the intimate and revelatory perspective of one of the most important and humane writers on psychology alive today.

Oliver Sacks has the literary artistry of WH Auden and the intellectual rigour and questioning mind of Stephen Jay Gould.

The world authority in his field, this is a remarkable insight into the mind and background of one of the finest and most accessible scientists today - case history as literature, in the most personal, delightful and fascinating way possible. 'If you did not think that gallium and iridium could move you, this superb book will change your mind' - "The Times". '"Uncle Tungsten" is about the raw joy of scientific understanding...Sacks perfectly captures the sheer thrill of finding intelligible patterns in nature' - "Guardian".