Oliver Wolf Sacks, CBE, FRCP, was a distinguished British neurologist, naturalist, historian of science, and author, celebrated for his profound contributions to the understanding of the human brain and mind. Born in London, Sacks embarked on a medical journey that led him to The Queen's College, Oxford, where he received his medical degree. His career took a significant turn when he moved to the United States, dedicating his life to exploring the mysteries of the brain and contributing extensively to the field of neurology.

His work at Beth Abraham Hospital in the Bronx is particularly notable, where he worked with survivors of encephalitis lethargica, leading to his groundbreaking book Awakenings, which inspired an Academy Award-nominated film. Sacks's literary oeuvre extends beyond Awakenings to include bestsellers like The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, and An Anthropologist on Mars. These works, often collections of neurological case studies, showcase his unique approach to neurology, focusing on the individual experiences of his patients and the human aspect of neurological disorders.

Throughout his career, Sacks was a prolific writer, contributing to The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books, and was recognized as a "poet laureate of medicine" by The New York Times. His contributions to the understanding of conditions such as Tourette's syndrome, aphasia, and autism have made him a leading figure in the advocacy for neurodiversity, earning him a place of honor in the history of medicine and literature.