Phineas Gage, John Fleischman
Phineas Gage, John Fleischman
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Phineas Gage
A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science

Author: John Fleischman

Narrator: Kevin Orton

Unabridged: 1 hr 31 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 03/20/2009


Synopsis

In 1848 Vermont, railroad foreman Phineas Gage sat above a hole, preparing to blast through some granite. A 13-pound iron rod fell from his hands into the hole, triggering the explosion and sending the rod straight through Phineas' head. Thirty minutes after this terrible accident, Phineas sat on the steps of a hotel, patiently waiting for the town doctor to arrive. He chatted with his amazed coworkers as if nothing had happened. But something terrible had happened. The rod that shot through Phineas' head like a rocket had caused great damage. Yet-incredibly-Phineas survived another 11 years. This extraordinary book tells the true story of one of the most remarkable accidents in human history. Listeners will not only be fascinated by all the gruesome details, but will also learn riveting information about how Phineas helped change the history of brain science. "Readers of this fascinating book will become acquainted with both the unbelievable tale of Phineas Gage as well as valuable information about the workings of the human brain."-Children's Literature

Reviews

Goodreads review by Lars on November 20, 2010

John Fleischman opens ‘Phineas Gage’ at full tilt, September 13, 1848, ‘a minute or two away’ from an accident that can only be described as freakish. Gage was working with gunpowder, blasting through solid rock as the foreman of a railroad construction gang in Vermont. The tool of his trade was a t......more

Goodreads review by Christina on October 08, 2022

Short book with interesting brain science information regarding Gage who survived a freak accident. A rod went through his head and he made a “full” recovery, but his personality was greatly altered. When he died he was buried with the rod, but he was eventually dug up for examination of his skull.......more

Goodreads review by Patrice on August 23, 2010

GENRE: Non-fiction, biography, brain anatomy, science. SUMMARY: Phineas Gage suffered a horrendous accident in 1848 when a tamping iron exploded through his skull. Amazingly, Phineas walked away from the accident, and lived for another eleven years. He was a changed man, however. His personality beca......more

Goodreads review by Lindsey on June 22, 2014

History, science, and psychology collide in this short, engaging read! The story of Phineas Gage is fascinating: not only the initial accident, but also the aftermath of the accident on Phineas's life and the developments in brain science and medicine. Fleischman does a great job of interweaving Gag......more

Goodreads review by ❆ Crystal ❆ on January 09, 2016

3 stars. What an amazing story. It's amazing he survived. It's short but a great read. I enjoyed.......more