The Five Senses

by F. González-Crussí

“Extraordinary on first reading, even more so on a second . . . the sort of book one wants to pick up again and again.” —Oliver Sacks “Lively and erudite.” —The New York Times Book Review “Gonzalez-Crussi writes essays that fuse science, literature, and personal history into highly civilized artifacts. Here are five such pieces…all of them informative, none of them predictable.” —The Washington Post “A meditation on sensory experience by a Mexican–born pathologist who weaves personal experiences with history, science, philosophy and theology for a wide–ranging approach to our centuries–old but undissipated curiosity about the origins of pain and pleasure…. An erudite work.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1989

Reviews

[Graychin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not perhaps an original philosopher, Dr. Gonzalez-Crussi is nonetheless an original sort of collector. For historical, literary and philosophical curiosities, especially when they infringe on the realm of medicine, he’s your go-to man. In the present title – which is not his best but still very good – he proves himself a great storyteller as well. The Five Senses is more personal than some of his other books. It includes several stories from his family and childhood. The tales about his father’s mad obsession with a silver mine in the northern desert of Mexico and about the blind woman who periodically used the telephone at his mother’s drugstore are especially memorable.

[Michael Norwitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rambling essays on each of the five senses, mixing anecdotes from the author's life with tidbits from science and other disciplines. I approached it expecting something more like philosophy of science articles, and found it disappointing; I suspect had I gone in anticipating a memoir I might have enjoyed it more.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautifully dense/poetic--demands your full concentration. Strongest essays on sight and touch, while taste focuses so much on the personal that the sense is sort of lost. I hope to pick this book up again in 10 years; there is too much to take in with one read.

[Amari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fanciful, worth reading -- but not too closely.