I find it interesting that a reporter found Oliver Sacks confessing to fabricating patients for his books *in his own words in his own journals* and this revelation just kind of bounced off of the world.
His reputation seems to have not taken a hit as far as I can tell. If this happened to a living writer I think there'd be large repercussions for that person's career.
Rachel Aviv & The New Yorker handled the reporting and writing deftly and with sensitivity...maybe that's why. A headline blaring that Sacks was a fabulist probably would've had more impact.
Oliver Sacks Put Himself Into His Case Studies. What Was the Cost? | The New Yorker
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/12/15/oliver-sacks-put-himself-into-his-case-studies-what-was-the-cost
#medicine #neurology #writing
Brian Vastag
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2026-08-30 18:42:58 UTC
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"content": "I find it interesting that a reporter found Oliver Sacks confessing to fabricating patients for his books *in his own words in his own journals* and this revelation just kind of bounced off of the world. \n\nHis reputation seems to have not taken a hit as far as I can tell. If this happened to a living writer I think there'd be large repercussions for that person's career.\n\nRachel Aviv \u0026 The New Yorker handled the reporting and writing deftly and with sensitivity...maybe that's why. A headline blaring that Sacks was a fabulist probably would've had more impact. \n\nOliver Sacks Put Himself Into His Case Studies. What Was the Cost? | The New Yorker \nhttps://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/12/15/oliver-sacks-put-himself-into-his-case-studies-what-was-the-cost\n\n#medicine #neurology #writing",
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