Radiant Minds: The World of Oliver Sacks

There was something unique and special about Oliver Sacks’ voice… literally as well as literarily. Those of you who were lucky enough to attend one of his talks, see him on video, or listen to him on the radio know what we are talking about. 

If you miss that wonderful voice, its curiosity and compassion, you will want to tune in to the new Oliver Sacks podcast from Audible.

Radiant Minds: The World of Oliver Sacks includes rare and some never before published archival tape of Oliver speaking—his audio diaries and his thoughts on various conditions. Each episode of the series centers on a condition that sparked his interest. You will hear from some of the people he wrote about, and many other friends and colleagues who knew him intimately. 

Our host, Indre Viskontas, a neuroscientist and soprano, developed a unique relationship that started back when she wrote to him as a seventeen-year-old. She was surprised when he replied… but you’ll hear all about that in the pilot episode. And in later episodes, you’ll hear from Tony Cicoria—the man struck by lightning from Musicophilia, and from Witty Ticcy Ray, whom Oliver wrote about in The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. We’ll explore the brain’s wondrous ways of adapting to new challenges; and the lives of people whose brains are unique.  

We’ll speak with neurologists and neuroscientists about memory, creativity, and recovering from trauma. And we will hear from an array of Oliver’s friends and colleagues in the arts: from Josh Groban and Renee Fleming to Bill T. Jones and Ed Catmull; from astronauts to music therapists.

“Radiant Minds is the realization of a dream of mine; it’s a posthumous collaboration with a mentor and friend who was a huge influence on my career as a neuroscientist. Working on this podcast, I felt I could once again explore the mysteries of the human brain with one of the most beloved humanists of our time. Because of our access to rare and never before heard audio from the Sacks archive, as well as so many people he knew intimately, this Audible Original reminds me of the energy, curiosity and sense of wonder Oliver brought to every encounter.” — Dr. Indre Viskontas