John Fleischman's "Phineas Gage: The Gruesome Tale of a Brain Science Pioneer"

Mitch Horowitz: This is a truly wonderful book, for young readers or adults. With due credit to Malcolm Macmillan's medical investigation An Odd Kind of Fame, author John Fleischman has reliably, contextually, and colorfully organized the story of Phineas Gage--the railroad construction worker who survived an iron bar through his skull--like no other work available. Fleischman's work especially shines when he highlights the different medical-social-historical issues weighing on the Gage case in the mid-19th century. He has more than done his homework: he has created a cross-disciplinary historical digest of this oddest of medical cases in a comprehensive and wholly involving way.

United States on Feb 01, 2022

JED: I am in the medical world, and I am really enjoying reading this with my 10-year-old son. There is a great deal of medical history in the book that I have not thought about for many years. The description says for grades 5-7/10-12 years - I think it would be a hard read for most 10-year-olds. There are many proper names (not American, so hard to say) plus anatomy terminology that makes it a harder read. While I am enjoying it, I am having to stop and explain some of the concepts, etc. to try to keep his attention and make it interesting for him.

United States on Aug 11, 2018

Laudis: Excellent read. What a devastating injury.

United Kingdom on Apr 10, 2016

Lizzie Reynell-O'Brien: Arrived quickly, very reasonable price- A+++ seller. Thank you

United Kingdom on Feb 26, 2015

Chris Bowen: It sucks them right in. Every time, just right in. As a middle school teacher, I know far too many students who have not found that one book or topic or genre that will pull at them and count them as true readers. I have seen this book do it from time to time. The premise alone makes most kids grab it down from my bookcase.

A javelin-type spear goes through his head and comes barreling out through his jaw. And Phineas remains almost intact. Almost as if nothing has happened. He continues to talk to those around him and continues to explain what happened to him when he gets to the doctor. He does this all with a clearly visible hole in his head. It's the late 1800's, and somehow Phineas survives intense infection, the limited medical understanding of the era, and lives on for many more years. It's a true tale that is still able to compete with the internet.

My only complaint about the book is it veers too often away from the character and spends a bit too much time on brain research. It's all good information, but it has caused some reluctant readers to abandon the book. That may be more about me wanting the book to cater to a more particular audience than a criticism...

United States on Aug 24, 2010

Gio: It's only about a half-hour's worth of reading for an adult, and it's written in language that most adults will find smarmy. Nevertheless, the introduction this book offers to the current state of knowledge about the human brain may well come as news to many adult readers, and the life story of the man Phineas Gage is fascinating. In 1848, Gage had a massive iron bar shot straight through his head in an accident with blasting powder. The bar entered through his mouth and existed through the top of his skull, all in an instant, and yet Gage lived. Any young reader will find this story vivid enough to keep her/his attention focused on the science that Gage's misfortune stimulated. I'm not a teacher, so my guess may be wrong, but I'd say this book is especially suitable to junior high readers.

You'll find mention of Gage in a far more mature piece of writing - "Soul Made Flesh" by Carl Zimmer - which narrates the life-work of the 17th C Englishman, Thomas Willis, who first convinced at least some people that the brain was not merely a blob but in fact the seat of consciousness. I recommend that book heartily/brainily to all readers who enjoy the history of science. I'd also...

United States on Apr 27, 2009

Judy K. Polhemus: John Fleischman once again brings Phineas Gage to the pages of brain science history with his engaging "Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science."

A frequent writer for Discover, Muse, and Air and Space Smithsonian magazines, Fleischman flexes his narrative voice as well as his scientific knowledge in this book for older children and young adult readers. The combination works wonderfully, making this almost a page-turning read. At first I was distracted by Fleischman's use of both past and present tense voices. What I decided was his use of present tense in telling Phineas's story brings immediacy to the narrative--a you-are-there type of storytelling, while past tense relates the scientific story preceding and following the events in Phineas's life.

One reviewer tells us that all medical and most science students know the story of Phineas Gage because of his importance in studies in brain knowledge. So what is the story of Phineas's brain? In 1848 while leading his gang of railroad workers, Phineas suffered a terrible accident: his three-foot tamping iron was shot through his head, entering under his jaw and exiting through his frontal lobe....

United States on Apr 09, 2009