Synaesthesia is a confusion of the senses, whereby
stimulation of one sense triggers stimulation in a
completely different sensory modality. A synaesthete
might claim to be able to hear colours, taste shapes,
describe the colour, shape, and flavour of someone's
voice, or music, the sound of which looks like 'shards
of glass'. Throughout history, many notable artists and
writers have claimed to suffer from synaesthesia,
including, Arthur Rimbaud, Wassily Kandinsky, Vladimir
Nabakov, and David Hockney. The condition remains as
controversial now as when first brought to the public
eye many years ago - one notable scientist dismissing it
as mere 'romantic neurology.' In Synaesthesia: the
strangest thing, a world authority on synaesthesia takes
us on a fascinating tour of this mysterious condition,
looking at historical incidences of synaesthesia,
unraveling the theories for the condition, and
additionally, examining the claims to synaesthesia of
the likes of Rimbaud, Baudelaire, and others. The result
is an exciting, yet scientific account of an incredible
condition - one that will tell us of a world rich with
the most unbelievable sensory experiences. From the
foreword by Simon Baron-Cohen, University of Cambridge
'...Aside from inspiring fellow researchers, this book
will do much to educate the general public about the
important but often overlooked point that we do not all
experience this universe in the same way. For the most
part, synaesthetes would not wish to be free of their
synaesthesia and if anything feel somewhat sorry for the
rest of us as we go about our unisensual existence. My
guess is that John Harrison's valuable book will ring a
colourful bell for many people who until now did not
realize that their experience had a name, and who will
now be able to identify themselves with like-minded
others. For all these reasons, this is quite a
book.' |
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