John Fleischman
Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story about Brain Science
Stealth Science
Why this book counts
- Life Science
- Human Body & Health
- Biography / Memoir
- Mystery / Investigation
- Story / Adventure
Phineas Gage begins with the shocking 1848 accident in which an iron tamping rod passed through a railroad foreman's brain and follows the evidence of his survival and change. The medical mystery makes brain anatomy, personality, historical treatment, and the limits of a single case drive the true story.
The science inside
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Medicine & Health
- Scientific Discovery & Careers
Your child will meet:
- Different brain regions contribute to behavior, planning, emotion, movement, and other functions.
- A severe brain injury can alter behavior and ability even when a person survives and can still communicate.
- Doctors build a case history from anatomy, observed symptoms, recovery, and later examination of evidence.
- One famous patient can suggest a relationship but cannot by himself prove a complete map of brain function.
Use it this way
Parent effort: Quick discussion
An ALA Notable Children's Book and Best Book for Young Adults Guggenheim Fellow John Fleischman separates fact from legend in this delightfully gruesome tale about Phineas Gage, the man with the hole in his skull. In 1848, Phineas Gage was just a normal man in Cavendish, Vermont, working as a railroad construction foreman when a thirteen-pound iron rod shot through his brain. Defying all expectations, he went on to live another eleven years. His miraculous recovery couldn't hide the fact that he was forever changed by the accident. The people around him agreed that the well liked and dependable Phineas Gage had turned into a crude and unpredictable man. What happened to Phineas Gage's brain? Complete with full-color photographs, a glossary, index, and a guide to resources, Phineas Gage will show you how your brain works through this fascinating case study as packed with neuroscience as it is shocking details.
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