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ehmannky's review against another edition
I guess I would have been able to soldier through this but it felt like every 10 pages or so Ackerman would say something that was like borderline ableist or just wild? Like she talks about Helen Keller being “more alive” because of her disability (rather than, you know, just someone who experienced the world differently) and then she is like “oh bestiality was common among shepherds in some of those regions” when discussing the sense of smell and supports this wildly racist statement with vibes 😩
_m_sarai's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic! Such a beautiful mix of poetic insights and interesting scientific facts! It's goal seems to be to open the eyes of the reader to all of the wonder and fascination to be found in the world most people take for granted. In my opinion, it succeeds. I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone as it presents such a joyful combination of unique perspective and understanding. READ IT!
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
4.0
Exquisite, but I was in too much of a hurry while reading it to properly enjoy it.
kefleck's review against another edition
I really did give it another try, but this isn’t for me. Life is too short! Going to donate this and k bet someone at the little free library will be delighted ❤️
ericfheiman's review against another edition
3.0
Exhilarating, educational, and exhausting. Basically a comprehensive history of the senses told by a lyrical romantic poet. Some rich stuff here, but its rapid, free-association unspooling of so much knowledge is overwhelming at times. Best in small doses (and probably why it took me over a year to read it).
tricebrown's review against another edition
4.0
A nice read. Makes you appreciate the basic parts of the human experience.
woodchuckpie's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating examination of all the senses, written with beautiful prose. Even though some of the science is a bit out of date, this is still wonderful reading for anyone interested in writing or learning more about how we experience the world. "In REM sleep, our brain waves range between eight and thirteen hertz, a frequency at which flickering light can trigger epileptic seizures. The tremulous earth quivers gently at around ten hertz. So, in our deepest sleep, we enter synchrony with the trembling of the earth. Dreaming, we become the Earth's dream."
kmatthe2's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting read. At times the book feels a bit dated and the author could've benefitted from more concision (at times one gets the sense she's in love with her own voice; don't need catalogues of clever on page after page). That being said, much of the book is engaging.