I am reading...

We are all aware, in one way or another, of the power of the mind, not to mention of the brain. Right.

Figuring out why our brain functions may falter at one point and what the consequences may be in everyday life while having to coexist with the rest of the world is another thing, much closer to neurosciences than anything else. No wonder we need a super neurologist to guide our way through the mystery - meet Oliver Sacks. Thanks to him, we enter a different, intangible world, certainly a painful one where we live for brief moments next to the patients he describes, but also a fascinating one that should enable us all to understand autists, or Tourette's patients better and install a sounder relationship with them. And this is the thing: the situations described by Oliver Sacks in his book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat through clinical cases are infused with deep understanding of human relationships, respect and hope. The so-called retardates show the world a new face and we discover how inappropriate assessment methods are when they put emphasis exclusively on what they may lack... Whereas they may show areas of incredible development or uncommon qualities!

One would assume that reading a book on visual agnosia, memory loss or proprioception is everything but comforting... And yet, Oliver Sacks succeeds beautifully in making borderland neurological experiences our own, as it were, and letting us in in the intricate dimension of neurosciences.

On a more general note, for years, neurosciences have dealt with the left hemisphere of the brain, so it is interesting to point out that throughout his work, Oliver Sacks focuses essentially on the functions of the right hemisphere of the brain - the cradle of creativity... the general trend in business seems to follow his lead now since it is believed that future managers will be the ones with a more developed sense of creativity and imagination. And what a coincidence to know that this book was given to me by a dear colleague who also happens to be one of the brightest and quickest minds I have ever met (the creative post-it handwriting on the second picture is hers) - the revenge of the right hemisphere is on.