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‘Awakenings’ neurologist to speak in Coventry as part of Distinguished Lecture Series

Dr Oliver SacksRenowned neurologist and author Dr Oliver Sacks, who was played by Robin Williams in the film Awakenings, will speak at the University of Warwick as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series.

Dr Sacks has authored best-selling books such as Awakenings, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and most recently Hallucinations.

His lecture will focus on the fascinating subject of the case study in medicine, an area which has formed the basis of many of his celebrated books.

He will deliver a lecture entitled Narrative and Medicine: The Importance of the Case History on Monday 11 March at 6pm at the Warwick Arts Centre. Entrance is free to the public but booking is necessary.

Dr Sacks is professor of neurology at NYU School of Medicine and was also recently appointed Visiting Professor at Warwick.

His essays and books about people living with various neurological conditions have earned numerous awards and inspired millions of readers around the world. The New York Times has referred to him as ‘the poet laureate of medicine’.

University of Warwick Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Nigel Thrift said:

“The Distinguished Lecture Series brings public speakers of the highest calibre to the University of Warwick to share their thoughts and ideas.

“It is a real privilege to have such a pre-eminent figure taking part.

“Dr Sacks’ commitment to engaging the public with science is of immense value to society, and we look forward to a fascinating and thought-provoking lecture.”

The purpose of the Distinguished Lecture Series is to provoke discussion and debate about a range of topics. Subjects in the past have included energy sustainability and the value of wealth.

The agenda is kept deliberately broad and the lectures are intended to be accessible to a general audience.

  • Entrance is free to the public, but booking is necessary
  • Or phone the University of Warwick Event Team on 024 7657 4036

ENDS

Notes for editors

Dr Sacks' book 'Awakenings', the basis for the 1990 film with Robin Williams and Robert De Niro, has also inspired a play by Harold Pinter and a ballet by Tobias Picker and Aletta Collins. His book 'The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat' was the inspiration for a chamber opera by Michael Nyman and Christopher Rawlence, as well as Peter Brook's "L'Homme Qui..." Sacks is also the author of 'Musicophilia' and most recently Hallucinations.

Dr Sacks was born in London and educated at The Queen's College, Oxford. Since 1965 he has lived in New York, where he sees patients as a consultant to the Little Sisters of the Poor. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2008 he was appointed Commander of the British Empire.