On the Move: A Life
Ratings20
Average rating4.1
My love for Oliver Sacks is well-documented, and I am happy to report that his second memoir (covering much of his adult life, as his first focused on his childhood) is wonderful. He recounts his struggles to live his life fully as a gay man, his love for motorcycles, living his life in the United States while never becoming a citizen, weightlifting, and professional difficulties in practicing medicine which ultimately culminated in his extraordinary writing career. I loved it.
I must say I found the stories from Sacks' younger years quite astounding. The latter half though is profound, heartwarming and sad at times. In a different lifetime Sacks would probably have been a novelist.
This took me completely by surprise: it was not at all how I had imagined him. In his earlier books I always envisioned him as patient, kindly, avuncular. His case studies show great empathy and humor. What I hadn't expected was that he was a highly driven adrenaline junkie, living a fast intense life, the kind that exhausts me simply to read about. It has been both challenging and rewarding to alter my understanding of his life and work, to realize that there are many paths to compassion. I'm thankful to him for teaching me so much throughout my life.
Rounding down to three stars because the final third felt so disjointed; lacking cohesion or unity. It felt rushed. Understandable, of course.
Really dug this memoir, which basically functioned as Oliver Sacks: The Sexy Years.
Though a bit rambly at times, On the Move was a total pleasure of a read. I always seem to find Sacks's works to be super fluent and enjoyable.